Ebay & The Long Arm Of The Law

G'day from Oz,
my local newspaper last Friday reported:
Police allege that a gent listed articles for sale on ebay, and accepted the buyers' funds, when he had no such articles to sell. He has been charged with "Criminal Deception", a modern codified offence which encompasses "false pretences", etc.
Said gent did not appear in Alice Springs Magistrates' Court when required, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
There were no details about the nature of the goods; the amount/s of money; the number of victims, nor where they are situated.

If the allegations are provable, one hopes that the miscreant has his collar felt some time soon.

By way of background for overseas readers: Australia is a federation, and most of the "criminal law" is found in state or Territory legislation, and enforced by state or Territory Police, as opposed to federal (national) authorities.
Most states, and certainly the Northern Territory, allow their statutes to operate beyond their geographic limits, and their courts have the necessary jurisdiction; all that is required is that some part of the offence occurred in, or affected, the jurisdiction. There is a double jeopardy rule that limits how many times an offender can be convicted for one offence.

If I hear more, I'll pass it on,

Peter in Darwin, N.T., Australia