Man charged over alleged hay bale scam in NSW

NSW police have charged a man in Sydney’s west after he allegedly ran a hay bale scam that targeted struggling farmers.

Members of Strike Force Woden approaching the man’s Villawood home. The 27-year-old will face 13 counts of fraud on Friday – NSW POLICE

NSW police have charged a man in Sydney’s west after he allegedly ran a hay bale scam that targeted farmers in drought and bushfire-stricken communities across the state.

The 27-year-old, who was arrested on Thursday at his Villawood home, is accused of conning struggling farmers by allegedly offering to sell them steeply discounted hay bales over social media before disappearing after accepting a deposit, never fulfilling the order.

Police will argue the man stole $40,000 from over a dozen people and charged him with 13 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception at Fairfield Police station on Thursday.

The man was arrested just days after the NSW Rural Crime Prevention team formed Strike Force Woden to find the person who had been scamming farmers from the Far North Coast to the Southern Highlands.

NSW Police Force State Rural Crime Coordinator, Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside, said the scam was unconscionable.

“I think after some considerable time in the police you’ve heard it all – but people just take it to a whole different level and this bloke has just done that,” he told 2GB on Tuesday morning.

“These are difficult times, and it’s disgusting to think anyone would seek to take advantage of people who have already been through so much this year with the drought and on the back of the bushfires.”

NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said anyone who takes advantage of drought-affected farmers should face the full force of the law.

“At a time when we’re seeing unprecedented levels of drought affecting every corner of NSW, it’s unthinkable that anyone would seek to exploit those who most need our support,” Mr Elliott said.

“This is a pathetic act and the government will continue to back our police in their efforts to keep these online criminals away from communities struggling during these hard times.”

Detective Inspector Whiteside also urged anyone who thought they may have fallen victim to the scam to report it, and to be cautious when purchasing supplies.

“It is important not to be embarrassed – scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch people off guard,” Det Insp Whiteside said.

The man has been refused bail and will appear at Fairfield Local Court on Friday.

The arrest comes as 2000 bales of donated hay is being trucked to drought and fire-ravaged east coast farmers by Australian Defence Force trucks and personnel as part of the Harvey Hay Run.