Police have accused a man of making up a story about being kidnapped on New Year's Eve in the NSW Illawarra region
NSW Police established a strike force to search for the 35-year-old man after officers were told he was kidnapped from the Dombarton area, near Wollongong, late on December 31.
After extensive inquiries, the man was found in a car on Marshall St in Dapto, a short distance from Dombarton, at about 10am on New Year's Day.
"As part of inquiries, it was established the man allegedly made up the story about his own kidnapping," NSW Police said Friday.
The 35-year-old was arrested at a home in Dombarton on Thursday, before being taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged with making a false accusation and false representation that resulted in a police investigation.
He was granted conditional bail in Wollongong Local Court on Friday, and is due back in the same court on January 24.
