Police arrested 63-year-old Ray Younan (second left) in Wentworthville, NSW on 27 May. Photo: ACT Policing.
A court heard it alleged that a Sydney standover man was paid to recover a safe containing items worth nearly $1 million, including gold bullion, stolen from the ACT.
“I chase crooks and their crooks,” 63-year-old Ray Younan is alleged to have told an associate during a telephone call intercepted while police were investigating the case.
In March 2025, a safe containing about $900,000-worth of gold bullion, coins and ammunition was apparently stolen from a home in Canberra, the ACT Magistrates Court heard.
The court heard the owners of the stolen property learned who was likely to have stolen it, being a man they knew. But instead of contacting police, they allegedly paid Younan $10,000 to help them recover their belongings as he was described as a professional mediator.
On 21 March, the suspected thief allegedly woke up to the sledgehammer-wielding Younan standing in his home demanding to know the safe’s location.
The man allegedly complied with Younan’s demands and got into a car with him and two other men. But he was unable to say where the safe had gone as it was supposedly stored at another person’s home.
Younan allegedly kept the man with him overnight in a hotel in Civic then told him to go to a meeting at the Amaroo District Playing Fields on 23 March.
The man went to the meeting and was allegedly confronted by three men, before one of them repeatedly assaulted him with a bat.
Younan is not alleged to have gone to the meeting himself, but he is alleged to have told one of the owners of the stolen property over an intercepted phone call that he organised the assault.
“You paid me money to do this, to chase your own theft,” he allegedly told the owner.
“If I get scooped up, you’re coming to put my bail up, just to let you know.”
In another intercepted phone call, Younan is alleged to have told an associate about a person he referred to as “half a dog”. When allegedly speaking about concerns this person could speak out against him, he allegedly told the associate to “sus him out and make sure he doesn’t”.
This safe was stolen from a home when it apparently contained a large amount of cash and valuables. It was later recovered, empty. Photo: ACT Policing.
Younan was arrested at his home in Wentworthville in Sydney with the help of NSW’s bikie-busting Raptor Squad. He first faced the ACT Magistrates Court on 28 May where he was charged with incitement and unlawful confinement, then was remanded in custody.
He indicated pleas of not guilty, then applied for bail for the second time on Monday (14 July), supported by members of his family in the courtroom.
His defence lawyer said police didn’t find any of the items they were looking for when they raided his client’s home and it had been his client’s first time in custody.
The lawyer also said his client had worked as a mediator for about 20 years and hadn’t tried to hide his identity when it came to that business.
The prosecutor opposed bail, claiming that if Younan had engaged in lawful work as a mediator or negotiator, that transgressed into unlawful work in this case. His alleged involvement could be called “standover work”, the prosecutor said.
Magistrate Jane Campbell said the allegations suggested Younan had been engaged as a criminal enforcer using standover tactics.
He had allegedly boasted about his connections to outlaw motorcycle groups, she said.
The magistrate ultimately said she had significant concerns about him interfering with evidence and intimidating witnesses so she refused bail, which meant Younan remained in custody.
While his lawyers wanted to keep the case in the Magistrates Court, prosecutors believed it should be committed to the Supreme Court, so this issue will be debated on 29 September.
ACT Policing previously said the safe was located empty. The contents of the safe had not been recovered by late May.
Two other men have been charged over the allegations and remain before the courts.
….but the BS goes on! View