Essendon home of bankrupt luxury car dealer sprayed with bullets for second time

Gunmen have opened fire on the home of a former director of an executive car rental company for the second time in just three days, with police warning the man to leave the property over concerns for his safety.

Gunmen have opened fire on the home of a bankrupt luxury car dealer for the second time in just three days.

In the latest in a string of attacks targeting Andreas — or Andrew — Triantafyllos, a former director of VIP Executive Car Rentals, attackers fired up to seven gunshots at his McCracken St home in Essendon on Sunday afternoon.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the gunmen fired the shots at his house while driving a dark-coloured Holden Commodore before driving away about 5pm.

The Herald Sun has been told police have warned Triantafyllos to leave the property over concerns for his safety.

Andrew Triantafyllos’ Essendon home was fired upon by gunmen. Picture: Facebook

CCTV footage shows the scene as gunmen fired upon the Essendon home. Picture: Supplied

It comes after offenders pulled up to his home in a dark-coloured ute and fired a round of shots about 4am before driving off on Friday last week.

In footage obtained by the Herald Sun, at least five gunshots can be heard being fired on the street.

It is understood that shooting followed what sounded like male voices outside the property on Monday night yelling “we’re going to get you c**t” before performing a burn-out in a vehicle and driving away.

People were inside the home on both occasions, but escaped injury.

Detectives are probing the circumstances surrounding the shootings, with Sunday’s incident at least the fifth targeted attack against Mr Triantafyllos’ home.

In May, arsonists firebombed two cars after ramming them into the front of the same house.

A 47-year-old man, believed to be Mr Triantafyllos, and a 32-year-old woman were inside at the time but were not injured.

Residents claimed the May 14 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.

Residents say the fiery attacks prompted Mr Triantafyllos to station security guards outside his home.

Friday’s incident comes after Mr Triantafyllos fronted court earlier this month over his handling of a $250,000 loan and a missing McLaren sports car.

Two cars were driven into Mr Triantafyllos’ Essendon home and set alight. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Residents claimed the May 14 arson was the third attack on the home in recent years. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

In 2022, he was convicted and fined after he repeatedly failed to appear to give evidence at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court over his allegedly dodgy practice.

“As part of an investigation into luxury car hire services, we had identified Mr Triantafyllos as a person capable of giving evidence relating to possible breaches of the Australian Consumer Law, including misleading, deceptive, and unconscionable conduct, in the provision of those services,” a 2022 Consumer Affairs Victoria statement read.

The luxury car dealer’s dire financial situation came to a head in 2018, when he declared bankruptcy in 2018, owing the ATO almost $6m.

He has previously been linked to more than a dozen businesses that leased luxury cars.

In 2019, Supercar Garage Melbourne — a company linked to Mr Triantafyllos — owed more than $250,000 to several customers.

He is understood to have operated Dream Drives Melbourne in Richmond before it too went into liquidation, accused of withholding deposits worth more than $450,000 from 22 customers.

Mr Triantafyllos’ alleged dodgy dealings landed him in hot water in 2017, when former Comanchero enforcer Hasan Topal stormed into his Richmond showroom and punched a worker in the face over a $20,000 deposit that had not been returned.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.