The BP station in Rotorua believed to have been owned by the couple. Photo / Daily Post

The BP station in Rotorua believed to have been owned by the couple. Photo / Daily Post

Interpol is leading a worldwide hunt for the Rotorua couple who have fled with millions of dollars worth of Westpac's money.

The couple, who ran Rotorua's BP Barnetts service station on Old Taupo Road, are Leo Gao and Australian girlfriend Cara Young.

They are understood to have applied to Westpac Bank for a $10,000 overdraft and mistakenly had $10 million paid into their account.

One News sources tonight suggested the couple may have headed towards Korea or China with up to $6m.

Westpac has reportedly recovered $4m.

A source told the Rotorua Review newspaper a police liaison officer was sent to China recently to search for the couple.

Neighbouring business Zero to 100 Automotive director Tania Davis says the BP was owned by an Asian man nicknamed "Leo" who had a New Zealand girlfriend.

She says on May 7 the business was open, but the next day it was closed and a notice was left saying it was in receivership.

"Deliveries arrived and just piled up outside the front door. A few people started to help themselves to some newspapers and supplies that were there," Ms Davis said.

She says BP staff arrived yesterday and took away the remaining fuel and tanks. The shop is now empty.

Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey held a media conference in Rotorua this afternoon, but would not confirm any speculation. When asked where police believed the money had gone, he simply replied "overseas", before refusing to answer any further questions.

A Westpac spokesman today refused to confirm the amount mistakenly given to the couple, though said the bank was "pursuing vigorous criminal and civil action to recover the sum of money stolen".

He said human error was responsible for the couple's substantial windfall, not a systems error, and that the bank was reviewing its procedures.

Detective Senior Sergeant Harvey was prepared only to say that an investigation had been launched into a substantial sum of money that had been "mistakenly advanced" from Westpac.


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