Robbery and Serious Crime Squad detectives have charged a man for his alleged involvement in the Mt Pritchard kidnapping earlier this year.
About 6.15am on Tuesday 24 February 2026, officers attached to Fairfield Police Area Command received a report a 53-year-old man had been taken from outside a tobacconist on Meadows Road in Mt Pritchard.
Police were told four unknown males in balaclavas approached the man before assaulting him and forcing him into a Hyundai hatchback.
State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad was notified and commenced a covert operation to recover the victim under Strike Force Martinook.
On Thursday 26 February 2026, strike force detectives – with assistance from the Tactical Operations Unit – attended a property in Dural, where police recovered the 53-year-old man.
A teenager and three men have previously been charged and remain before the courts.
Following further extensive inquiries, about 9.30am yesterday (Friday 12 June 2026) strike force detectives arrested a 29-year-old man at a home on Goonaroi Street, Villawood.
He was taken to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with take/detain in company with intention to ransom occasion actual bodily harm, destroy property in company use fire greater than $5000 and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
Police will allege in court the man assisted by storing and destroying a vehicle used in the kidnapping.
He was refused bail to appear at Bail Division Local Court 7 today (Saturday 13 June 2026).
Strike Force Martinook inquiries are ongoing.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
