Reece Coldwell: Maraylya man sentenced for role in stolen car syndicate

A young father who became caught up in a car rebirthing syndicate with alleged links to Sydney’s gangland war has learned his fate after police found a trove of stolen luxury cars on his property.

A young father who became caught up in a car rebirthing syndicate with alleged links to Sydney’s gangland war has learned his fate.

On Wednesday Maraylya man Reece Coldwell, 30, was sentenced to at least two years and two months behind bars for his role in storing a trove of stolen luxury cars.

Coldwell had previously pleaded guilty to nine counts of receiving stolen cars, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and one count of possessing a prescribed restricted substance.

Police facts tendered to Burwood Local Court laid out how the young father found his home raided just after police swooped in on a Summer Hill workshop and Canterbury home linked to Coldwell’s co-accuseds, Issa Ghananim, Brendon Khalil and Simon Khalil.

According to the police facts, top-end cars were stolen and then kept at Coldwell’s Maraylya property after being modified with fake number plates and darkened windows at the Summer Hill workshop.

Some of the stolen cars discovered by the police. Picture: NSW Police.

In court documents, police further allege the cars were used in crimes linked to the deadly underworld war involving the Hamzy and Alameddine families.

Coldwell was arrested on July 31, 2021, when police carried out a search warrant on his Pitt Town Dural Rd property.

There, detectives seized seven cars, including BMWs, Audis, a Volkswagen and a silver Mercedes.

Police officers also seized 19g of cocaine while another two cars — a black Mercedes AMG and black BMW M3 – were recovered after police stopped two tow trucks on the M4 at Granville the same day.

The total value of the cars at the young father’s property was approximately $557,000, the court heard.

Court documents state when police interviewed Coldwell after his arrest, they asked him if he knew whether the cars were stolen.

“You’d be pretty f**kin dumb if someone asked you to hold cars and you didn’t think they were stolen or repossessed. But I’m not gunna ask questions,” Coldwell said during the police interview.

In court, Coldwell’s defence lawyer said her client was initially unaware of how many cars would be towed to his property.

“In his mind he was doing a favour for a friend … (and) he ended up in a position where he couldn’t retract from having that many vehicles on his property.”

The court also heard Coldwell wanted to provide for his new baby daughter and was offered money to store the cars on his property.

But Magistrate Joy Boulos said storing the cars was a very serious offence, particularly as police found cloned registration plates which had links to organised crime.

“In my opinion he was highly involved in this activity — he was aware … (and) there was a considerable degree of planning,” Ms Boulos said.

Coldwell was convicted and sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years and two months, for receiving stolen cars. He was also convicted of the drug possession offences and fined $1410.

His family, who were present in the courtroom, cried as he was led away into the docks.

Coldwell’s co-accused Issa Ghananim, Brendon Khalil and Simon Khalil remain before the courts.