An alleged $900,000 scam fell apart as detectives glanced into a car

by

An alleged roof scammer who police say fleeced almost $900,000 from his elderly victims was arrested when investigators happened to see him in a car near Sydney Airport on Monday night.

A warrant for Patrick Michael O'Brien's arrest over an alleged "large-scale fraud offence" was issued by detectives from the eastern beaches on Monday, with police alleging the Irish national defrauded two women living in Sydney of $900,000 after he promised to repair their roofs.

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.613%2C$multiply_2.1164%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_40%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/a7355d3d6a75f061fbe568a6257f8cb70b48eee6
Patrick Michael O'Brien.

One victim, a 56-year-old woman from Kensington, was allegedly defrauded of $623,180 after Mr O'Brien allegedly conducted unfinished work on her roof, while another woman, a 70-year-old from Stanmore, was allegedly defrauded of $276,300.

Hours after the arrest warrant was issued, detectives happened across Mr O'Brien sitting in a car outside a hotel in Wolli Creek.

He was taken to Kogarah police station and charged with receiving property stolen outside NSW and two counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception.

He was refused bail to appear in Central Local Court on Tuesday.