Building manager arrested after police discover elaborate underground cave

A building manager has been arrested after police found an elaborate “Aladdin’s cave” where he was living underneath the complex.

A building manager has been arrested after police discovered he’d built an “Aladdin’s cave” under his apartment complex in inner Sydney.

The building manager was arrested after police discovered the cave-like space, where the man was allegedly living in an underground bedroom with a separate shower and bathroom.

He was allegedly storing illegal goods in the cave and growing cannabis.

The cave set up featured water tanks, a bedroom equipped with numerous TVs allegedly linked to CCTV cameras, as well as numerous other storage rooms.

The 42-year-old man was arrested on August 18, three weeks after police found the elaborate “Aladdin’s cave of stolen property”, which had been constructed in a storage area in the basement of the apartment complex.

Officers also found shelving systems used to store more than 250 items stolen from other storage units, including electrical, sports and garden equipment, police said.

A bedroom set up discovered by police showed multiple CCTV screens. Picture: NSW Police

The elaborate set up was built below a Pyrmont apartment building. Picture: NSW Police Force

Police made the discovery three days after arresting three other men at Lane Cove. Picture: NSW Police Force

The man was arrested by police. Picture: NSW Police Force

They also found a rainwater tank that had been converted into a bedroom and another tank that was being set up to grow hydroponic cannabis.

The man is due to appear in Sutherland Local Court on September 30 charged with a raft of offences, including receive property, conspiracy to cultivate cannabis for commercial purpose, and goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen.

The shocking elaborate basement discovery on July 29 came three days after three men were arrested at a Lane Cove home.

Police there seized items including a crossbow, an extendible baton, and a pair of throwing knives.

Two of the men — aged 26 and 33 — are before the courts on drug possession charges.

Another man, 24, has been charged with drug supply, six counts of possessing a banned weapon, and possessing suspected stolen goods, among other offences.