Brendon and Simon Khalil: Pair face court over alleged car rebirthing syndicate
Fingerprints on cars and DNA from a Maccas run will serve as evidence in a case involving a father and son duo alleged to be part of an underworld car rebirthing syndicate.
The Express
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DNA from a Maccas cup and fingerprints on stolen high-end cars will form part of the case against a father and son duo who police allege were involved in an underworld car rebirthing syndicate.
Riot squad arrested the men at their Canterbury home yesterday morning after Brendon Khalil, 24, and Simon Khalil, 53, were allegedly linked to a criminal group which stole high-performance vehicles and modified them at a Summer Hill workshop, including with darkened windows and fake licence plates.
The cars were stolen in break and enters, the court heard.
NSW police sources have said it is alleged the vehicles were then used in crimes linked to the deadly underworld war involving the Hamzy and Alameddine families.
Police allege the father and son’s involvement only spanned about three days from July 28 to July 31, and little evidence pointed to the involvement of the father Simon, the court heard.
Their defence lawyer Sophie Toomey told Burwood Local Court the pair had simply gone to the Summer Hill property, owned by Brendon’s uncle (Simon’s brother) to remove some tenants who were no longer paying rent.
He was told the tenants were using the dilapidated property as a storage unit, the court heard.
Brendon’s uncle (Simon’s brother) is not charged with any wrongdoing.
The court heard Brendon had told the tenants to leave, called a tow truck to remove the various cars at the property, and assisted them in moving some of the number plates from the shelves.
The cars were taken to a property in Maraylya, police allege.
Police also collected a McDonalds cup at the scene with the men’s DNA on it, and Ms Toomey said Simon had made a Maccas run while they were there.
Brendon and Simon also returned to the Summer Hill property the next day, the court heard.
When police raided the Maraylya property on July 30, they found seven stolen high-performance cars including a Volkswagen, Mercedes, Audi S5 and two BMWs – with a combined estimated value of $500,000.
Ms Toomey said their version of events explained why Brendon’s fingerprints were on the exterior of two of the cars and on loose number plates found in the back seat of another of the vehicles.
She added they were not involved with the syndicate and that there were “glaring weaknesses” in the police cases for both men, with an absence of contact with alleged syndicate participants and no telephone intercepts.
Magistrate Alison Viney questioned the “believability” of the alternative story.
The men have both been charged with knowingly facilitating organised car rebirthing activity, participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity, receiving motor vehicle part-theft serious indictable offence more than $5000 (x9) and goods suspected stolen given other not entitled (motor vehicle) (x9).
As part of the investigation into the car rebirthing syndicate, police arrested three other men, a 36 year old, a 29 year old and a 30 year old.
Early in the investigation police also seized a bag of lost property left inside a taxi in May which included two loaded pistols and an electronic stun device wrapped in towels.
On ballistic examination it was found to be linked to a public place shooting incident at Bridge Road, Westmead, on June 9, 2020.
Magistrate Viney granted both men bail saying the case against Brendon was strong, but that against Simon was less clear.
The court heard Brendon, a father-of-one with another on the way, was the carer for his father and they will continue to live together in their Canterbury property.
The men were subject to strict bail conditions and will return to court on November 3.
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