Two men have been charged after allegedly stealing more than $50,000 by scamming 18 elderly women in shopping centre car parks across New South Wales.

NSW police arrested the two men – aged 37 and 57 – on Wednesday after 18 alleged thefts across the state, including in Newcastle, Wagga Wagga and several Sydney suburbs.

Police allege the men worked together to scam their victims on multiple occasions between 3 January and 7 January, with one of the men allegedly approaching the victim claiming there was an issue with their vehicle and asking them to raise the bonnet so they could inspect it.

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While the bonnet was up, the other man allegedly stole items from inside the car, such as wallets, purses, cash and cards.

NSW police assistant commissioner, Stacey Maloney, said the alleged offenders generally approached the victims after they had done their shopping and returned to their car.

“They approached them on the driver’s side or at the front of the vehicle and they indicate some sort of issue with the front of the car,” Maloney said on Thursday. “The victim then obviously gets out since they’re concerned that there is something mechanical or cosmetic that has happened to the vehicle.”

“They then show the person that there is an issue, the victim then opens the bonnet and the two of them stand at the bonnet whilst the co-offender then engages in the stealing.”

Maloney said the men had appeared to act as good Samaritans by suggesting there was something wrong with the victim’s vehicle.

The two men have been charged with 72 offences each, relating to alleged fraud, theft and entering a vehicle without consent. According to police, the men were from Romania and had been in Australia on tourist visas since 28 December.

During a search of the men and their car, police allegedly found vehicle wires, international passports, mobile phones, a toughbook laptop, $6,000 in cash and receipts for money transfers.

Both men have been refused bail and were due to appear in court on Thursday.

Police are also hoping to speak to two other men as part of their investigations.