Kiwi fugitives Simone Wright and Paul Bennett arrested north of Sydney

New South Wales Police have confirmed a New Zealand couple wanted since May last year have been arrested this morning.

Police in New Zealand had been investigating whether Paul James Bennett and Simone Anne Wright had stolen a yacht from moorings in Opua, Bay of Islands last week.

The fugitives are also wanted in connection to sex charges and an alleged $250,000 fraud.

Police in Sydney say they were arrested on suspicion of stealing a boat, according to Newstalk ZB.

Last night businessman Mike Jacomb, of Picton, who is offering the $50,000 bounty for information on the pair, confirmed to the Otago Daily Times the yacht had been sighted in Sydney about 9pm.

The $150,000 yacht, which belonged to a Whangarei couple, was damaged and the police were watching its arrival.

Just before 6am he confirmed Bennett had been caught.

"I'm so happy," the Helipower director, who claims he was ripped off more than $250,000 by the couple, said this morning.

This month the Otago Daily Times reported the couple had been sighted in Dunedin after selling a distinctive BMW to a car dealer last year.


- NZME.