Andrew Triantafyllos says he’s ‘not a criminal’ after Essendon home shot twice in three days

A former Melbourne car dealer says he’s a victim, not a criminal, after his Essendon home was sprayed with bullets twice in a matter of days.

A notorious car swindler says he has become the victim of violent extortion attempts after his suburban home was shot up twice in three days.

Police are combing through hours of CCTV footage to identify two gunmen who “as calm as anything” walked up to Andrew Triantafyllos’ Essendon home and fired off a round of shots last Friday.

Gunmen again pulled up to the conman’s home and opened fire about 5pm on Sunday.

The following day, Triantafyllos’ double-storey home hit the market.

Investigators had also warned him to leave the area over concerns for his safety.

Triantafyllos has previously been linked to more than a dozen luxury car hire businesses that have been accused of failing to return huge deposit payments.

Speaking to the Herald Sun, Triantafyllos said he was no longer involved in any shady dealings, and that the recent shootings had driven him out of his family home.

“I am not a criminal,” he said.

“I am a victim of extortion.”

But those connected to the colourful businessman believe his days could be numbered if he “doesn’t pay up”.

Andrew Triantafyllos says he’s a victim of extortion. Picture: Facebook

With the gunmen on the run and speculation mounting that Triantafyllos may have continued to live his high-flying lifestyle while fleecing money from some heavy hitters across Melbourne, his neighbours say they live in constant fear that the next time bullets will fly it will end in tragedy.

“He must have a lot of enemies,” one McCracken St resident said.

Several residents heard a series of “pops” on Sunday afternoon and walked out of their homes to find police swarming the area.

The shooters were seen fleeing from the McCracken St home in a dark coloured Holden Commodore parked around the corner after at least one of the shootings.

So far, Triantafyllos and his family have escaped unharmed.

It is believed he lived at the home with his 32-year-old wife and, at times, his daughter from a previous relationship.

Last weekend’s gunfire was the latest in a string of targeted attacks on Triantafyllos’ property, which reportedly prompted him to enlist the protection of private security seen parked outside his house.

The home in McCracken St has been attacked multiple times. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

One of the firebombing attacks on Triantafyllos’ Essendon home. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

In May, arsonists rammed two cars into his garage before setting them alight.

Residents claimed that arson was the third attack on the home in recent years, after another car was firebombed at his home a month prior.

Last year, arsonists torched another vehicle outside his home.

Triantafyllos’ dealings with clients and buyers has previously been described as “misleading, deceptive and unconscionable” after he failed to give evidence in court.

Male model turned bikie enforcer Hasan Topal stormed into one of Triantafyllos’ showrooms and assaulted a worker.

Triantafyllos, the former director of VIP Executive Car Rentals, was in 2018 declared bankrupt but claims to have dug himself out of that financial hole.

He became entangled in another ugly feud that centred around a luxury McLaren sports car that he had leased and allegedly tried to sell to a Sydney-based company.

He reportedly leased the McLaren for three weeks for a $42,000 fee before allegedly signing a contract to sell the car to Sydney pawnbroker group Prostrength for $250,000.

Court documents allege that the vehicle was not delivered to Prostrength and the $250,000 had not been repaid by Triantafyllos.

The court ordered him to provide an affidavit of the purchase and ownership of the car alongside the whereabouts of the $250,000 but he failed to do so.

Anyone with information about the incidents targeting Triantafyllos’ property should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au.