A Koonawarra man who blew more than $17,000 on power tools, iPads, perfumes and groceries during a three-day shopping spree has pleaded guilty to fraud.
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Robert Auld pleaded guilty to 12 counts of fraud in Wollongong Local Court on Monday, after admitting he spent more than $30,000 of someone else's money between May 25 and 27 last year.
The court heard the 31-year-old purchased dozens of items from western Sydney stores including four iPad minis, two cordless drill sets, mobile phones, perfumes and gift cards.
Auld also spent $3900 in Kmart, $1803 at Coles, $900 at Woolworths and withdrew more than $13,000 from a number of ANZ bank branches during his three-day spending spree.
According to police, Auld obtained the money after someone purporting to be the victim accessed the victim's bank account on May 24, 2013, and changed the security code.
Later that day, someone claiming to be Auld opened a joint account with the victim, and then transferred a total of $32,000 to Auld's personal account on May 25.
Over the next three days, Auld made nine large purchases on his ANZ card, and was recorded on CCTV withdrawing thousands of dollars from his account.
Police searched his Goondah Avenue home on November 12 and seized a number of items related to the offences.
Auld reportedly told police at the time: "I don't know who [the victim] is. I just noticed $39,000 in my account and I used it at the casino and to buy drugs."
Auld will reappear in court for sentencing on June 11.
