Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Police arrested a 45-year-old Wallsend man on Wednesday following a joint investigation.
On December 1, a woman reported that someone had stolen a handbag from her vehicle parked at Speers Point.
She told police she had left her vehicle unattended while exercising, and returned to find a window smashed and the handbag stolen.
It wasn't long before one of the victim's credit cards was used without consent to purchase items via payWave at a nearby retail store.
The Lake Macquarie Property Crime Team commenced an investigation which resulted in the identification of a 45-year-old Wallsend man as being identified as the alleged offender.
At about 7am on Wednesday, Newcastle City Target Action Group assisted the investigation, executing a search warrant at Bousfield Street, Wallsend, where the man was arrested.
He was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with three offences including receive stolen property, obtain financial benefit by deception and goods in custody suspected stolen.
The man, who has a five year suspended sentence imposed earlier this year relating to similar offences, was refused bail to appear at Toronto Court on Monday.
