A Canberra man accused of property and fraud offences stored items suspected to have been stolen at the homes of his relatives, a court has heard.
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The ACT Magistrates Court heard the same relatives were unwilling to have Kalonga Chifuntwe, 23, stay at their homes so he could get bail.
Chifuntwe was charged with four counts of fraud when he appeared before Magistrate Robert Cook on Thursday.
He has not yet entered pleas.
Chifuntwe could face more charges after a police informant told the court that officers were still investigating whether more than 100 items, seized during raids on Wednesday, had been stolen or were the proceeds of crime.
The informant said the defendant and another man were also suspects in a number of burglaries.
Chifuntwe was arrested after police raided six homes across Canberra’s south on Wednesday.
Police seized a loaded firearm and ammunition, war memorabilia and a motorcycle with stolen parts suspected to be used in the rebuilding of another motorcycle.
Chifuntwe has not been charged over those items.
The informant said the fraud charges before the court related to the theft of more than $17,000 from a bank account.
The court heard documents were among a number of items stolen from a Calwell home during a break-in last month.
Soon after, $17,468 was transferred out of the victim’s account.
Police allege Chifuntwe and another man then used some of the stolen money to buy more than $2000 worth of power tools, motorcycle apparel and clothing.
The informant said police believed Chifuntwe had committed the alleged crimes in order to fund a drug habit, as paraphernalia such as ice pipes, had been among items seized during the raids.
The court heard Chifuntwe was on bail for trespass and property damage charges when he allegedly committed the fresh offences.
Chifuntwe applied for bail when he appeared in court on Thursday afternoon, but the prosecution opposed the bid on the grounds he could commit further offences, interfere with evidence or witnesses, and not reappear before the court.
The prosecutor said Chifuntwe had no place to live as his family were not willing to take him in.
He said no bail conditions could mitigate the risks.
Mr Cook rejected the bail bid, citing concerns Chifuntwe could offend or interfere with the investigation if granted conditional release.
Chifuntwe will reappear before the court next month.
