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Extraordinary report that Australian Test great Stuart MacGill was kidnapped from his Sydney home and held for ransom.

Former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill was kidnapped and held for ransom by an alleged criminal group in a shocking attack on Sydney’s north shore.

The news was first reported by the Daily Telegraph, with police confirming in a statement that a 50-year old man was abducted at gunpoint from Cremorne.

According to police MacGill was allegedly confronted by a 46-year-old man about 8pm on April 14.

Two other men then allegedly forced MacGill into a vehicle before being driven to a property at Bringelly in Sydney’s south west.

It was there that police allege he was assaulted and threatened with a firearm before being driven to the Belmore area and released around an hour later.

The incident was reported to police two days later.

Detectives from the NSW Robbery and Serious Cime Squad are investigating with police raiding a number of homes in relation to the incident.


“Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives, with assistance from Raptor Squad and the Public Order and Riot Squad, arrested four men – aged 27, 29, 42 and 46 – from 6am today (Wednesday 5 May 2021),” police said in a statement.

“The men were taken to local police stations where charges are expected to be laid.

“Officers are currently in the process of executing search warrants at homes at Sutherland, Caringbah, Brighton Le-Sands, Banksia and Marrickville.”

It is unclear if MacGill was known to the men who kidnapped him.

Booney wrote:The incident was reported to police two days later.

It is unclear if MacGill was known to the men who kidnapped him.

Something smells funny here.

No surprise that the kidnappers took him to Sydney's south west.

I would've taken his missus instead.

Lightning McQueen wrote:I would've taken his missus instead.

Which one?

Trader wrote:

Booney wrote:The incident was reported to police two days later.

It is unclear if MacGill was known to the men who kidnapped him.

Something smells funny here.

Didn't I hear he was taken from work at a pizza shop?

Same owners as the Woodville Pizza joint by any chance?

Trader wrote:

Booney wrote:The incident was reported to police two days later.

It is unclear if MacGill was known to the men who kidnapped him.

Something smells funny here.

According to this one https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/s ... beb01f4d76 the incident wasn't reported until a week later

JK wrote:

Trader wrote:

Booney wrote:The incident was reported to police two days later.

It is unclear if MacGill was known to the men who kidnapped him.

Something smells funny here.

According to this one https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/s ... beb01f4d76 the incident wasn't reported until a week later

Nothing in it: Some people dont make a complaint for 2 years and then go on national TV to do it

Seems to me its more likely that MacGill owed someone money, wasn't paying up, so they hired some goons to rough MacGill up.

Jimmy_041 wrote:

Lightning McQueen wrote:I would've taken his missus instead.

Which one?

The Friend girl.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/ ... 57ozz.html


Updated: The brother of Stuart MacGill’s partner has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the Australian cricketer’s kidnapping in Sydney last month

The brother of Stuart MacGill’s partner has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the Australian cricketer’s kidnapping on Sydney’s lower north shore last month.

Mr MacGill, who played 44 Test matches for Australia, was allegedly kidnapped in Cremorne and threatened with a gun during an hour-long ordeal that unfolded on April 14.

Mr MacGill was allegedly confronted by Marino Sotiropoulos – the brother of Mr MacGill’s recent partner Maria O’Meagher – near the intersection of Parraween and Winnie streets in Cremorne, about 8pm.

A short time later the pair were allegedly approached by two other men and Mr MacGill, 50, was forced into a vehicle.

He was then allegedly driven to a property at Bringelly, more than 60 kilometres away in the city’s south-west, where three men assaulted him and threatened him with a firearm.

About an hour later, Mr MacGill was driven to the Belmore area, about 40 kilometres away, and released.

The incident was reported to officers from North Shore Police Area Command six days later on April 20.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s robbery and serious crime squad were notified and launched a strike force to investigate.

Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives arrested four men, including Mr Sotiropoulos, 46, at 6am on Wednesday.

The other men were Sun Min Nguyen, 42, and brothers Frederick and Richard Schaaf, 27 and 29.

The men were taken to local police stations where they have been charged with unlawfully taking or detaining someone with intent to gain advantage, causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Sotiropoulos was charged with participating in a criminal group and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

Mr Nguyen was charged with directing the activities of a criminal group.

They were denied bail to appear at Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday afternoon.

Their homes at Sutherland, Caringbah, Brighton-le-Sands and Banksia were searched on Wednesday.

Mr MacGill has recently been in a relationship with Ms O’Meagher, owner of Aristotle’s restaurant in Neutral Bay, where Mr MacGill works as general manager.

Ms O’Meagher’s brother, Mr Sotiropoulos, is also listed on business records as a former owner of the restaurant.

Detective acting Superintendent Anthony Holton, robbery and serious crime squad commander, said Mr MacGill was being treated as “purely a victim of kidnapping” and he did not owe the alleged perpetrators any money.

“He is not involved in any other back story that leads to him having a personal debt,” Mr Holton said.

The men, who police said were members of a criminal gang, allegedly targeted Mr MacGill to get money out of him but none was handed over.

Mr Holton said Mr MacGill did not immediately report the incident to police because the alleged kidnappers had instilled “significant fear” in him.

“Everyone experiences trauma differently,” Superintendent Holton said.

“To be standing on a street in Cremorne, to be dragged into a car, driven to a remote location, physically assaulted, threatened with a firearm, held for a period of time and then dumped, I think you’d be pretty worried about your own personal safety and the safety of your family and your friends,” he said.

Mr MacGill played 44 Tests for Australia and claimed 208 wickets between 1998 and 2008.

He has had a varied career since leaving professional cricket.

Peter Sekules, another owner of Aristotle’s until recently, said he was dumbfounded by the incident.

“It sounds like an absolutely shocking thing to happen, not just to Stuart but to anybody,” Mr Sekules said.

He said Mr MacGill was a “tremendous asset” for the restaurant in his front-of-house role.

“He is a very sociable, wonderful person to have there. Full of inspiration, very conversational.”

Since finishing his playing career, Mr MacGill has had a number of jobs in cricket, hospitality and media.

In 2017, he reached a confidential settlement over his $2.6 million injury claim against Cricket Australia. He had claimed CA neglected or failed to pay him injury payments over a two-year period from May 2008 when he was unable to play Test cricket because of injury.

Police officers visited Mr MacGill’s lower north shore home on Wednesday morning to speak to him about the incident.

Investigations are continuing.