Luke Zakhour: Sunbury dad allegedly steals gun from Wildwood

A dad who allegedly stole a gun from a Wildwood home had allegedly previously smashed his girlfriend’s ex’s car window.

Luke Zakhour has been bailed to a residential drug rehabilitation clinic.

A dad who allegedly broke into a Wildwood home and stole a gun had allegedly previously smashed his girlfriend’s ex’s car window after threatening the man.

Luke Zakhour, 26, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, facing charges including stealing a firearm, shortening a long arm firearm and dangerous driving.

The Sunbury man allegedly broke into a Wildwood property using an angle grinder and ransacked the house and shed with a woman after 1am on February 24.

The pair allegedly stole a Bruno .22 Rimfire rifle and .22 ammunition from a gun safe, as well as electronics, power tools, horse sculptures, artwork, art supplies, furniture and a large mirror.

Luke Zakhour was allegedly caught a sawn off gun.

They were allegedly caught on CCTV before police arrived about 3am and stopped the woman outside the property, with Zakhour managing to get away.

When police searched Zakhour’s home that day they allegedly found a different rifle — which had been sawn off — a cattle prod, ecstasy, several bags of ice, cannabis and stolen items.

Police have been unable to track down the stolen rifle.

Zakhour was already on bail after he allegedly messaged his girlfriend’s ex on Facebook on August 4, 2019 and told the the guy, “I’ll f**k smash the f**k out of you... c**t you’re going to die,” then smashed the man’s car window with a rock.

The court heard Zakhour was granted bail on February 25, 2021 and then again on March 19 after he was arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions.

It was heard he was taken into custody again just five days later, on March 24, after he sped away from police when they saw him driving without a licence in Sunbury and tried to pull him over.

Police allegedly saw him driving in Sunbury again shortly after and sped away from them again, pulling in front of heavy traffic on Mickleham Rd before mounting a roundabout.

The court heard he was later found at Westfield Airport West, having changed his clothes in a bathroom, and had ice, cannabis and power tools with him.

It was heard Zakhour had no criminal history, had spent more than a month at Port Phillip — a maximum security prison, — and was the father of a two-year-old and four-year-old.

His lawyer proposed he be bailed to a strict residential drug rehabilitation clinic, which the prosecution did not oppose.

Magistrate Altman said Zakhour had “thoroughly messed up” his previous chance at bail, and agreed to bail him on the condition he go straight from jail to the clinic.