Authorities intervene after alleged huge theft from elderly woman with rapidly declining funds

The Public Trustee has been appointed to take control of an elderly woman’s estate after one of her daughters allegedly stole her antiques, crystal, valuable paintings plus $160,000 in cash.

An elderly Tasmanian woman allegedly had antiques, crystal and valuable paintings taken from her home, along with $160,000 from her bank account. The Public Trustee has now been appointed to intervene.

The Public Trustee has been appointed to take control of an elderly woman’s estate after one of her daughters allegedly stole “a third of her house contents” including antiques, crystal, valuable paintings plus $160,000 in cash.

In its recently-published decision, the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal said the 86-year-old woman had been living in residential aged care for the past three years and suffered from severe vascular dementia, needing help with legal and financial decisions.

During that time, her son had been living at her home, and at one stage the daughter in question also lived there, and did not pay rent.

An application to review an existing administration order was made by the woman’s other daughter after both she and her brother claimed their sister had stolen from their mother in December 2022.

The items and money have not been recovered, with the sister in question no longer in contact with her mother or siblings.

The other sister later reported the matter to Tasmania Police after a delay, as her brother had not wanted to involve police.

Tribunal senior member Rowena Holder said she heard evidence the elderly woman was susceptible to influence, was unable to manage her estate, and that simple financial tasks had become “impossible”.

She also heard the woman’s finances would be “fully depleted” in the next three years as her pension had been cancelled since February 2023, and she had monthly aged care fees of $3058, plus property and personal bills.

Ms Holder said these outgoings “vastly exceed” the $600 a month she received in rent from her son, with those payments having only begun in January this year.

She said the woman’s financial situation was not sustainable – and said she was “troubled” by the delay in reporting the alleged theft to police.

Ms Holder said an administrator needed to contact police to get an update into the investigation, to see if any criminal charges ensued, and find out if there are any civil remedies or if the bank could help.

She said the existing administrator – the woman’s daughter – was not the best person to administer her mother’s estate, and instead appointed the Public Trustee until February 2027.

Recently, the Mercury reported on a similar case – with the tribunal urgently intervening in the case of an 85-year-old Tasmanian woman after the bulk of her life savings was transferred into her son’s account.

An emergency order was made for the Public Trustee to administer the woman’s estate, to protect her remaining funds and make attempts to recover the almost $220,000 transferred.

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