Irma and Gregor Palasics, pictured when they lived in Red Hill. Photos: Supplied.
Irma and Gregor Palasics had already been burgled twice before moving to Canberra’s northern suburbs, where they had their kitchen renovated to include a hidden compartment under the oven.
It was there they placed the cash and jewellery that was later stolen on the night two intruders broke in, ransacked the home and assaulted Ms Palasics before leaving her to die.
Only a handful of people knew the location of the compartment when it was installed, an ACT Supreme Court jury heard when the trial of the two alleged intruders, 70-year-olds Steve Fabriczy and Joseph Vekony, continued on Friday (20 February).
Ms Palasics and her husband Gregor were burgled twice when they lived in Red Hill, in June 1997 and October 1997, then moved to McKellar the following May, where they were burgled for the third time, on 6 November, 1999. This time, they were tied up and assaulted, resulting in Ms Palasics’ death.
After her death, their son-in-law, John Yan Mikita, told police the first burglary had resulted in thousands of dollars in cash and jewellery and up to 15 bottles of Johnnie Walker being stolen from their home.
“No-one knew where it was, but these fellas found it,” he said.
“All they did was turn the underneath part [of the house] upside down and they found what they wanted.”
Jurors have already heard $102,000 cash was stolen in the first burglary and the offenders have never been identified.
Mr Mikita said he arrived at their home after the second burglary and saw there was nothing left to take under the house, “aside from the grog”.
After the Palasics moved to McKellar, Mr Mikita and his son Warren installed a new timber kitchen in the home.
They also installed a hidden compartment in the kitchen, where Ms Palasics placed her cash and jewellery, and he thought only he, Warren and the two Palasics knew about it.
“She wanted something to put her money away in,” John said.
“She didn’t want a safe.”
He didn’t know how much money she had left after being “fleeced” in the first burglary, but jurors have already heard $30,000 worth of cash and belongings were stolen from the hidden compartment.
Irma Palasics with her first grandson, Warren.
John also said Mr Palasics used to go to the Hungarian Club in Narrabundah, although he thought he had stopped going there by the time of the third burglary, and sometimes when he drank alcohol he spoke about how he “was not short” when it came to money.
“Everybody is his friend when he buys them a drink,” John said.
“They’ve never had any enemies that I can tell you.”
Jurors have already heard Mr Fabriczy and Mr Vekony are Hungarian.
After Ms Palasics’ death, Warren Mikita also spoke to police about how he and his father renovated the kitchen in April 1999, during which they built the hidden compartment by installing a fake bottom in a drawer under the wall oven.
“The only way you’d probably really notice it is if you’d pull all the drawers out,” he said.
When a police officer asked why the Palasics wanted it, Warren said: “Because me grandparents didn’t like putting any money in the bank. We all thought that would be the safest place for it.”
He said the only people who knew about the compartment were himself, his grandparents, his mother, his father and possibly a labourer who helped install the kitchen.
Under cross-examination from barristers Skye Jerome and Travis Jackson, Warren denied telling anyone else about the kitchen.
“I can’t even remember making a secret cupboard, but I put the kitchen in,” he said.
John had also spoken about how Mr Palasics started a joinery business called Quality Joinery in the 1970s before retiring in the mid-’90s, after which he took over the business.
Mr Fabriczy has pleaded guilty to one count of burglary as he admitted going to the Palasics’ home on 6 November, 1999, but he pleaded not guilty to murder. Mr Vekony pleaded not guilty to charges that included murder and two counts of burglary.
The allegations against the two accused were outlined when the trial began earlier this week before jurors heard more about the 1998 burglary.
The trial, which is now before 14 jurors as one was discharged, continues before Justice David Mossop.
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