A fugitive New Zealand couple evaded the law by fleeing more than 2000km across the Tasman Sea only to be dobbed in by a Sydney sailing enthusiast who recognised their stolen $140,000 yacht.
Water police arrested Paul James Bennett and Simone Anne Wright on Monday night aboard the 14-metre Harlech cruising cutter, which was moored near Cowan Creek on the Hawkesbury River, 50km north of Sydney.
The pair had been on the run from New Zealand police for nine months when the boat went missing from the Bay of Islands in the country's north about 10 days ago, prompting a frenzied search among sailing enthusiasts throughout the South Pacific.
Felix Fielding spotted the yacht through a telescope at a friend's house in Sydney on Monday.
He immediately sent photos to Darren McManaway, an administrator of the popular website Live Sail Die, who forwarded them to Harlech's owner, Steve Holland.
"That is my yacht," Mr Holland wrote back.
Within three hours, police had the fugitive duo in custody.
Bennett, 50, who also goes by the name Russell, did not apply for bail and it was refused during a brief appearance at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
He has been charged with receiving property stolen from outside NSW and is the subject of several outstanding warrants for blackmail and fraud dating back to 2003.
He will return to court in early March.
Ms Wright was released without charge.
In New Zealand, Bennett, who was reportedly once a helicopter pilot for actor Russell Crowe, is also accused of defrauding a helicopter company out of $NZ250,000 ($A241,185).
Company director Mike Jacomb, who put up a $NZ50,000 ($A48,237) reward for their capture, said he was "over the moon" that the pair had been arrested.
Mr McManaway said the duo stood no chance of hiding for long.
"About 100,000 people go through our website each day, and all of them have been actively looking for this boat all across the South Pacific and all around the world," he told AAP.
He said the yacht was a little beaten up but would be returned to New Zealand as soon as possible.
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