Lake Macquarie Police are appealing for victims of recent steal from motor vehicle offences to come forward after a large amount of property was recovered during two arrests this week.

Over the last fortnight Lake Macquarie Local Area Command have investigated a number of steal from motor vehicle offences and subsequent ‘tap and go’ frauds.

Following inquiries, detectives arrested a 35-year-old woman on Tuesday (29 March 2016), and she was taken to Charlestown Police Station, where she was charged with five counts of goods in custody and fifteen counts of dishonestly obtain property by deception.

She was refused bail and is due to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday 20 April 2016.

Yesterday (Thursday 31 March 2016), officers from Lake Macquarie Special Operations Group attended properties in Wilga Street and Kankool Way at Windale.

Police seized numerous items of property from the homes that are believed to have been stolen from motor vehicles in Adamstown Heights, Cardiff, Warners Bay, Belmont, Mount Hutton, Charlestown and Garden Suburb.

Items seized include wallets and purses, personal papers, credit cards, clothing and electronic devices.

A second woman, aged 33, was arrested at the Kankool Way home and taken to Belmont Police Station, where she was charged with larceny (four counts), dishonestly obtain property by deception (eleven counts) and goods in custody (four counts).

She was refused bail to appear before Toronto Local Court today. (Friday 1 April 2016).

As inquiries continue, Lake Macquarie Police are urging any victims of recent thefts from motor vehicles to ensure that they have reported the incidents to the Police Assistance Line (PAL) on 131 444, to ensure the located property can be returned to its rightful owners.