When heavy floods consumed parts of the NSW South Coast in August, police received reports that a rare 1976 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray had been washed away in a shipping container, never to be seen again.
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However, just as an insurance payout was being finalised last month, the lost classic car resurfaced at a residential property at Nowra. Also found was a limited edition Harley Davidson motorcycle that was also the subject of an insurance claim by the same owner, after he reported it stolen 18 months ago.
Mark Richmond Jeffcoat, 51, will appear at Nowra Local Court tomorrow to face charges of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and publish false misleading information to obtain financial advantage.
In August, Mr Jeffcoat contacted his insurer, Shannons, to advise that his maroon coloured Corvette, valued at $34,600, had been swept away when his property, which fronts the Shoalhaven river, became immersed by floodwater. The shipping container, in which the car was allegedly stored, has never been seen since.
After an investigation into fraudulent reports of stolen and destroyed vehicles in the Nowra area, NSW Police executed search warrants at three properties across the town.
Mr Jeffcoat was arrested at one of the addresses.
Investigators will allege that during the searches, they seized eight vehicles that had allegedly been reported stolen or destroyed.
They included the Corvette and the 1996 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Special which was the subject of a $22,360 insurance settlement from Shannons, after it was allegedly stolen.
Mr Jeffcoat will also face six charges relating to unauthorised weapons after police seized two unregistered firearms and ammunition during the raids.
