Net closes on NZ bank error fugitives
PrintLoyal sister's Facebook post alerts world+dog to hideout
Posted in Policing, 26th May 2009 13:39 GMT
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The New Zealand couple who did a bunk with a sizeable chunk of a NZ$10m overdraft, erroneously provided by Westpac bank, are probably in hiding in Hong Kong, the Telegraph reports.
Businessman Leo Gao, 29, girlfriend Kara Hurring, 30, and her seven-year-old daughter Leena wasted no time in fleeing NZ after Westpac accidentally upped the requested NZ$10k facility to something more substantial.
While Westpac managed to intercept some of the cash before it could be transferred out of the country, the pair still have around NZ$3.8m. Police were alerted to their bolt-hole by Hurring's sister Aroha, who flew to Hong Kong to join the party, and chronicled the trip on her Facebook page.
Aroha Hurring returned to New Zealand yesterday, where cops are quizzing her about the renegades' whereabouts.
The head of the investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey, said: "I would suggest that they take the opportunity to return to this country to resolve this matter before the outstanding sum is spent. The pair still have families in New Zealand and at some stage they may want to return to see them."
Harvey noted that the couple "would most likely relate to use of a computer because a theft charge would not be applicable", but that the powers that be would be "seeking restitution of the money". ®
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