A con man is continuing to operate within the community after more than a month at large.

David Nepia Carroll (who also goes by the aliases David Palmer and Sam Palmer, among others) has evaded Police since June, after a pattern of thefts and fraud emerged among the GayStay network, a group of B&Bs owned by gay and lesbian couples.

Carroll has left without paying at a number of gay-friendly lodges in Ruakaka and Auckland’s Piha and Ruakaka and has stolen a number of high-end items from places he stays. He has been described as a smooth-talking, affable and camp man who claims to be a chef for celebrities.

His first victims, a gay couple in Ruakaka, are now out of pocket by around $2000 in accommodation fees. Carroll also stole a computer, camera, cash, cheques and medicine.

He then visited Black Sands Lodge in Piha. Co-owner Julia Woodhouse says,

“He came to Black Sands and booked to stay two nights and ended up staying four; didn’t pay for the last two. We invited him to a dinner party we had here and everything.

“He booked the Kauri suite – our largest suite – and said he wanted to live there for five months. Once we began to make an agreement about weekly rent, we didn’t see him again.

“He luckily never had the opportunity to steal from us, as we were always around the house.”

Julia also reports that Carroll has stolen vehicles and other high-end items from people he befriends.

“He met a couple at Big Gay Out – he ended up going out with him, and he must have seen their credit card number. He then stole from them and later even took them to SPQR on their money.”

The couple who took him to SPQR provided this recent photo of Carroll.

GayStay network owner Bruce Morrison has released a warning to GayStay B&Bs, but Carroll is still at large in the community.

Julia Woodhouse says Carroll, 40, has more than 150 convictions relating to fraud, theft and burglary. He also went to jail in 1992 for inducing a boy aged 12 to 16 to do an indecent act.

Carroll is described as:
•Male Maori
•40 years
•183cm / 6’0”
•Thin build

He has a Sanskrit tattoo on the back of his neck and a koru style heart tattooed on his right shoulder. He may have left the upper North Island and be in the Wellington area.

f you have any information about Carroll, please report it by phoning 0800 107 4636.