NSW Police have made a grim discovery in the ongoing search for Chris Baghsarian, the 85-year-old Sydney grandfather who was violently abducted from his home nearly two weeks ago in what investigators describe as a case of mistaken identity.
Around 8 am on Tuesday, detectives located what are believed to be human remains near a golf club in Pitt Town, north-west of Sydney. The discovery comes as fears for the elderly man’s survival had been growing since his abduction on 13th February 2026.
No formal identification has been confirmed at this stage. Formal forensic processes are now underway.
What Happened to Chris Baghsarian?
Shortly before 5am on 13th February, three men stormed Chris Baghsarian’s home in North Ryde and forced the widower into a waiting SUV. The attack was swift and targeted, but investigators confirmed early on that the offenders had seized the wrong person.
Chris Baghsarian, 85, was abducted from his North Ryde home in the early hours of 13th February 2026. [NSW Police Force]
Baghsarian, who had been living alone for around four years since the death of his wife, depended on daily medication. Police publicly and repeatedly called on the kidnappers to release him, stressing he was not their intended target.
Key details of the abduction and investigation so far:
- Three or more offenders broke into the North Ryde residence in the early hours of 13th February
- CCTV footage captured movement on the street in the moments immediately before and after the abduction
- Video circulated online showing Baghsarian bound and being assaulted, with the images consistent with a vacant, derelict house in Dural police later identified as the kidnappers’ base
- A burnt-out stolen car was recovered in Glenorie, containing a blood-stained carpet traced to the Dural property
- Pitt Town, where the remains were found, sits roughly 30 minutes from that Dural stronghold
Organised Crime Links Under Investigation
Law enforcement sources have told the ABC that the offenders were likely targeting a figure with connections to the Alameddine crime family, one of Sydney’s most notorious organised crime networks. Baghsarian had no known ties to that world.
Lead investigator Detective Superintendent Andrew Marks acknowledged the case was unlike most kidnapping investigations the squad had handled.
“This whole case has not been our normal kind of investigation in relation to kidnapping and a hostage,” Marks told reporters on Monday.
The operation is being run by the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad under Strike Force Chobat. No arrests have been made.
Family’s Anguish
Baghsarian’s family had been publicly pleading for his safe return throughout the ordeal. In a statement last week, they described what they were experiencing as a nightmare that made no sense.
“Our family is living through something we never thought possible,” the family said. “We are struggling to make sense of the fact that he has been taken and that our family has been caught up in something that has nothing to do with us.”
They described him as a devoted father, brother, uncle, and grandfather. A gentle man, they said, who would never hurt anyone.
A City Shaken by Organised Crime Violence
Sydney has seen a surge in brazen, organised crime-related incidents in recent months. Earlier this year, two people were found dead at a Sydney shop in circumstances that prompted a homicide investigation, while a series of violent incidents have been linked to feuding criminal networks operating across the city.
The abduction of Chris Baghsarian stands out, not just for its violence, but for the devastating human cost of what appears to be a catastrophic error by the perpetrators.
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What Happens Next
Forensic teams are working to formally identify the remains found near the Pitt Town golf club. Until identification is confirmed, police have not officially stated whether the remains belong to Baghsarian.
Remains were located near a golf club in Pitt Town, approximately 30 minutes from the Dural property linked to the kidnappers. [realestate.com.au]
Strike Force Chobat continues to operate, with no arrests announced. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
