By Jenny Noyes
Prominent Sydney jeweller Michel Germani has been charged over an armed robbery at his city store. It’s alleged he orchestrated the January robbery as part of an insurance fraud scheme worth more than $2.8 million.
Germani, the 65-year-old founder and CEO of Germani Jewellery, was with an innocent staff member and two male customers inside the store about 6.30pm on January 19 when police allege the violent robbery took place.
Police executed a search warrant at a unit in Canada Bay on Tuesday; Michel Germani (right).Credit:
Germani had arranged for the two men to attend the store, located in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel on George Street, after hours, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi told reporters on Tuesday. It’s alleged the pair threatened Germani and his shop assistant with a knife before demanding access to the safe.
Doueihi, commander of the robbery and serious crime squad, said Germani and his assistant had their hands and feet bound with cable ties during the ordeal.
It’s alleged their attackers left them tied up at the store as they fled with “a large amount of jewellery”.
The store assistant, who also sustained some physical injuries in the incident, was “absolutely traumatised” and had been “under the belief that it was a legitimate robbery”, Doueihi said.
Officers from Sydney City police area command began the investigation on the day before the matter was referred to the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad.
Detectives arrested the two men alleged to have posed as customers to carry out the armed robbery last month. They remain before the courts.
Doueihi said investigators thought “something didn’t seem right about this particular robbery” and took a closer look at Germani and his associates.
Amid continuing inquiries, police asked Germani to attend Day Street police station on Monday afternoon. He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and depriving a person of liberty, attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, publishing false or misleading material to obtain property, and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
In court documents, it’s alleged Germani made a false statement following the robbery with intent to obtain an insurance claim worth more than $2.8 million.
Germani spent the night behind bars before appearing at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
According to the jeweller’s website, Germani houses a “huge range of quality gemstones and loose diamonds” purchased from Belgium, Switzerland and East Asia.
Germani “has designed and manufactured fine jewellery for the Saudi royal family, Queen Noor of Jordan, the Duke and Duchess Of Wellington, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana and other well-known international dignitaries around the world.”
The brand became a household name in the 1990s when it sponsored Nine’s Sale of the Century television show. Its jewellery featured as prizes on the program from 1988 to 2001.
Three men in masks broke into the same store in a 3am heist in March 2020, filling a laundry bag with high-end jewels, Nine News reported at the time.
Doueihi said there was no evidence to suggest the prior robbery was staged.
There are two Germani stores in the CBD: the Hilton store, and another across the road in the Queen Victoria Building. Both stores now sit closed and empty of goods.
In relation to the January incident, Doueihi said he is expecting further arrests, and a search warrant was carried out at a unit in Canada Bay about 8am on Tuesday.
Investigations under the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad’s Strike Force Ingestre are continuing.
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