Men charged with kidnap and murder of Sydney grandfather

Heavily armed police have swooped on properties in Sydney’s north-west, arresting two men and charging them over the alleged kidnapping and murder of elderly widower Chris Baghsarian, who was abducted from his home in a suspected case of mistaken identity.

Robbery and serious crime squad detectives working under Strike Force Chobat arrested the men, Gerard Andrews, 29, and Daniel Stevens, 24, at their parents’ homes in Kenthurst and Castle Hill on Wednesday morning.

Detectives recovered Baghsarian’s body near a golf course at Pitt Town on Sydney’s north-western fringe on Tuesday morning.

The men were taken to Riverstone police station and on Wednesday night charged with Baghsarian’s alleged kidnapping – a charge of taking or detaining in company with intent to ransom, causing actual bodily harm – and murder. Both were refused police bail to appear in Blacktown Local Court on Thursday.

Baghsarian was taken hostage about 5am on February 13, when up to three men abducted him from his North Ryde home in a suspected case of mistaken identity. Baghsarian, a grandfather and widower born in Jerusalem, lived alone, and police have repeatedly said he and his family have no links to organised crime.

Detectives believe the kidnappers were looking for the father of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, a convicted armed robber and founder of clothing brand Proper Streetwear, but mistakenly grabbed Baghsarian, who lived on the same street.

The kidnappers planned to abduct Karo Stepanyan, 67, and hold him for ransom, Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks, the acting commander of the robbery and serious crime squad, said.

Messages purportedly between the organiser of the kidnapping and Dimitri Stepanyan show a $50 million ransom being demanded for Baghsarian’s release. The men arrested on Wednesday are not accused of sending the messages.

This masthead has attempted to contact Stepanyan for comment. The 37-year-old, whose brand has long been worn by members of the Alameddine crime family, is not accused of any involvement in Baghsarian’s kidnapping.

Detectives will allege the men arrested on Wednesday morning were “in and around” North Ryde when Baghsarian was kidnapped and taken to an abandoned Dural property that the 85-year-old’s captors had used as a “makeshift stronghold” to hold and torture him. Baghsarian is believed to have died at that property shortly after he was taken there.

Police are yet to confirm when Baghsarian died or how, but believe he was killed before he was dumped just after 9pm the day after he was allegedly kidnapped.

Detectives are yet to determine if Andrews and Stevens were contracted to carry out the alleged kidnapping, and are investigating if there was involvement of an organiser offshore.

Footage of Wednesday’s dramatic arrests shows Raptor squad officers bursting through the doors of the Andrews family’s five-bedroom Kenthurst home moments after jumping over the property’s front fence about 6.30am.

Three officers walk Andrews from the Sedger Road home towards a police vehicle as his pants fall down. He appears to shake his head as he is loaded into the car.

Detectives on Wednesday continued to search the properties at Kenthurst and Castle Hill and a third property at Lake Macquarie. A Toyota Corolla was seized and towed from the Kenthurst home just after 10am.

At Castle Hill, detectives seized several bags of evidence and searched two cars, a blue Honda Jazz and a white ute, parked in the home’s driveway. The Jazz was towed away from the property just after 11am. Stevens was arrested wearing only a pair of shorts. Both men are known to police for “insignificant” offending, Marks said.

Detectives on Wednesday seized several electronic devices and items of clothing linked to Baghsarian’s alleged kidnapping and murder from the three properties.

“We welcome the news of the recent arrests,” Baghsarian’s family said in a statement issued through NSW Police on Wednesday morning.

Baghsarian’s relatives asked for privacy as they “continue attempting to come to terms with this incident”.

Marks said Baghsarian’s family was “devastated” over the 85-year-old’s death.

“It’s somebody’s worst nightmare,” he said.

“The fact that an innocent man was taken from his home is not acceptable. These people need to be held to account for that and that’s why we are bringing these people before the courts, and we hope that it doesn’t happen again.”

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators had worked non-stop to identify and locate those involved in Baghsarian’s disappearance.

“They have worked 24/7 since it happened with the firm view of trying to get Mr Baghsarian safely back to his family,” Lanyon said.

“Tragically, we know the consequence. That is not the case.”

The discovery of Baghsarian’s body came two days after police launched a large-scale search of dense bushland at Glenorie after receiving reports that a Toyota Corolla, since forensically linked to Baghsarian, had been seen in the area about 9pm on February 14.

Investigators then identified the Pitt Town crime scene, a 15-minute drive away, as the possible location of Baghsarian’s body after the Corolla was spotted in the area. Police believe Baghsarian’s body was dumped near the golf course that night.

Detectives last week found evidence at the Dural property where Baghsarian was believed to have been killed that matched video and images circulated throughout Sydney’s criminal underworld of the 85-year-old being tortured.

Evidence found with the remains and in the Corolla, which was set alight in a Westmead street on February 16, also matched items found in the Dural home.

Amid growing community concern that innocent people are being increasingly dragged into underworld disputes, NSW Premier Chris Minns said organised crime in Sydney would be met with a “swift and overwhelming police response”.

He said Baghsarian’s alleged kidnapping and murder had “shocked and outraged the community”.

“I can only imagine what that family has gone through over the last few weeks. … We respect their privacy, but we are there with them at their shoulder if they need anything,” he said.

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