CASE PROFILE – Quyen Tu AU

Posted on 14/05/2021

On 14 May 2002, Quyen Tu Au was reported as a missing person by the Major Fraud Section because of concerns for his welfare.

Mr Au – who was an Australian citizen originally born in Vietnam –  is believed to have been murdered. His body has never been found.

The 31-year old was linked with the fraudulent use of a debit card, which was ultimately used to steal $6.326 million from a bank account held by the Bank of East Asia.

Security video recorded by a Port Adelaide bank’s ATM at 12:21pm on August 15, 2000, shows the last known images of Mr Au as he withdrew $6000 using a stolen bank debit card

At about 12.54 p.m. the same date Mr Au contacted a friend using his mobile telephone. This is the last known contact that Mr Au had with any family or friends.

At the time of his disappearance, he was being sought by police in relation to his suspected involvement in the theft of up to $400,000 in cash from automatic teller machines.

The debit card used was stolen in Brisbane on May 19, 2000, from a Hong Kong student.

Because of a computer processing error, the stolen card was able to be used to make unlimited withdrawals from NAB ATMs.

The first unauthorised transaction was on July 28, 2000, and in total Mr Au was recorded on security cameras 41 times conducting 465 transactions. The last of those was on August 15 when he made 12 transactions, the last at 12:35pm.

After August 15, three other people were recorded on ATM security cameras using the card to withdraw money from the account. On October 19, 2000, NAB became aware of the unauthorised transactions and the stolen card was retained by an ATM at the Tea Tree Plaza Shopping Centre.

In November 2000, police searched 16 Adelaide properties and found about $4.07 million in cash under the floorboards of the main bedroom of a property in Kitchener Street at Kilburn.

Four people were arrested and charged with offences relating to the use of the stolen card, but Mr Au was never found.

Police know that until 5th August 2000, he was living at Rosewater Lodge in Rosewater, but information supplied anonymously via Crime Stoppers suggests that he had also stayed at the Kitchener Street address where the cash was found.

A reward of up to $200,000 remains on offer to anyone who either provides information leading to the recovery of his remains or information leading to a conviction in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

 

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