Guildford West kidnapping: Man is taken from his Sydney home at gunpoint in horror Christmas Eve abduction
- A man was kidnapped at gunpoint
- Police found two cars set on fire
Police are searching for five men after a 29-year-old Sydney man was allegedly kidnapped in the early hours of Christmas Eve.
Cumberland Police Department officers were called to a house on Sybil Street in the western Sydney suburb of Guildford West shortly after midnight on Sunday following reports of a home invasion.
Authorities were told five men armed with handguns forced their way into the home and then forced a 29-year-old man to leave with them.
He was returned unharmed at around 3am.
A 29-year-old man was kidnapped from a home in Sydney’s west after five armed men broke into the house.
Police are also investigating whether the alleged abduction was connected to two car fires reported shortly after.
One was on Woodpark Road, Smithfield, about 2.2km away, and the other was about 7km away, on Naying Drive, Pemulwui.
The fire was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW.
Pemulwui resident Kamal Patel was awakened by the sound of a “loud noise” at around 2.15am on Sunday, which turned out to be one of the abandoned cars.
“The first thing I knew was a car horn going off and I thought someone was breaking into cars on the street,” he said.
“Then I opened the curtains on the windows and realized that the car was on fire.”
Police are investigating whether the abduction was linked to two car fires that occurred in Western Sydney shortly after.
Having moved to Sydney’s western suburbs just a month ago, Mr Patel said he did not expect such an incident to happen in his area.
“It always makes you nervous. It makes you think this could happen to me when you thought it wouldn’t happen to you,” he said.
“But you don’t expect that in Pemulwa.” It’s a bit more middle class here and there are a lot more young families in the western suburbs.”
NSW Police are appealing to anyone with dashcam footage, mobile phone footage or information to report.
Anyone who can assist the investigation is urged to contact Granville Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.