Bendigo detectives this week raided a government agency in Queen Street as part of an investigation into a series of alleged frauds in the Bendigo area. They arrested a 27-year-old Bendigo East woman at the premises and seized a number of items, including a car.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman yesterday said police then searched a property in Havlin Street, East Bendigo, where they seized a number of items, including bank cards, furniture and other household items.

The Bendigo Advertiser believes the woman stole prepaid gift cards with different values and unique pin numbers from the Bendigo office of the Department of Health.

It is believed the woman activated each of the stolen cards, then transferred the money into a credit union account before moving the funds into a National Australia Bank account.

The woman is believed to be a personal assistant to a senior manager.

She was interviewed at the Bendigo Police Station and released pending summons.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the issue was a police matter and it was inappropriate for the organisation to comment.