A 25-year-old man has been charged following an incident in Sydney, where a woman reported the theft of jewellery valued at $150,000 in what police describe as a prayer scam. On January 9, a 47-year-old woman was approached by the man, who posed as a spiritual guide while she was on her lunch break in Darling Harbour. He offered to bless her, leading to subsequent meetings where he requested her jewellery as part of a blessing ritual.
During the ceremony, the man allegedly placed a weighted coconut on the woman’s jewellery, switching her valuables with empty boxes while maintaining eye contact. It was only when she realised her belongings were missing that she alerted the authorities. Following an investigation, police arrested the man near Darling Harbour and executed a search warrant at a hostel on Elizabeth Street, recovering jewellery believed to belong to the victim. The man has been charged with fraud and was granted bail, with a court appearance scheduled for February 10.