Two men face court after man shot in bizarre tug of war over Mercedes

Three men have been charged after a man was allegedly extorted and shot in the leg through a pillow in a terrifying shakedown over a $280,000 luxury car.

A man was shot in the leg through a pillow in a terrifying shakedown over a $280,000 luxury car on the Gold Coast, police allege.

Three men have faced Southport Magistrates Court over the incident in a Southport highrise apartment on Friday, on charges including extortion, deprivation of liberty, committing acts intending to maim and armed robbery.

According to court documents Brisbane Theo Penemenos, 27, was shot in an alleged extortion over a 2020 black Mercedes S450L concept car which had been leased by his girlfriend’s father from Mercedes Benz Toowong.

Police allege in the documents that Mr Penemenos and his girlfriend drove the Mercedes to Budds Beach on Thursday to visit a friend when they were confronted by two men armed with a Glock handgun and a ‘pirate knife’.

The men allegedly took the car, forcing Mr Penemenos and his girlfriend to catch an Uber back to Brisbane.

On Friday, Mr Penemenos allegedly received an anonymous phone call telling him he had to pay money to get the car back.

His parents transferred him $4000 and he travelled to the Southport Central apartment complex where two men and two women arrived in the Mercedes.

He allegedly handed over $2000 but was forced inside an apartment, hit in the head, held down and shot through a pillow in the leg with a sawn-off shotgun.

Mr Penemenos was threatened further with the gun and ordered to hand over more money, court documents allege.

He fled into a convenience store as he was being led downstairs and raised the alarm, before being taken by ambulance to Gold Coast University Hospital.

Police later found the Mercedes in Surfers Paradise and arrested the alleged offenders.

The three men charged did not appear in Southport Magistrates Court personally on Saturday but were represented by a duty lawyer.

Investigations at Qmart in Southport after an incident on Lawson St, Southport. Picture: Lea Emery

Joel Hindson, 25, Leum Kostopolous and Bronson Samuel Godfrey, both 29, faced charges including deprivation of liberty, committing acts intending to maim, robbery with violence, extortion and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Hindson was also charged with drug offences, including possessing meth and GHB.

None of the men applied for bail and they were remanded in custody.

The court heard the men would be applying for bail at a later date.

Kostopoulos’ case was adjourned until November 19 while Hindson and Godfrey will reappear on December 9.

A Surfers Paradise woman, 32, and a Beerwah woman, 26, were charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and bailed to appear in court on November 25.