Three Men Charged After Two Alleged Violent Sydney Home Invasions

Key Points

• Three men aged 18, 19 and 20 have been charged following two alleged home invasions in Sydney’s south-west.
• Police allege a 31-year-old woman was threatened with a knife, sexually assaulted and robbed at a home in Arncliffe on 29 September.
• A 32-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted and robbed during a second incident at a Bankstown unit two days later.
• Police say both women were allegedly restrained with duct tape and subjected to choking and physical assault.
• Detective Superintendent Virginia Gorman said investigators believed the women had been deliberately selected because they were thought to be alone and have money at home.
• Detectives supported by the riot squad carried out searches in Belmore, Punchbowl and Greenacre on Thursday evening.
• The three accused men have been identified in court reporting as Chawkat Ibrahim El Cheikh, 20, Arman Nangyal, 19, and Adam Fakhouri, 18.
• Police are investigating whether the group was preparing to target a third person when officers arrested them.
• The accused men face serious criminal charges, while court proceedings remain ongoing and the allegations have not been tested at trial.
• The two women suffered minor physical injuries and were taken to hospital, while police have highlighted the potential longer-term psychological effects of the alleged attacks.

Sydney Now Magazine (SNM) October 2, 2026 – Three men have been charged following two separate alleged home invasions in Sydney’s south-west in which two women were assaulted, with police alleging the incidents were deliberately planned and that the victims were selected because they were believed to be alone and to have money at home. The first alleged attack occurred in Arncliffe on September 29, when a 31-year-old woman was allegedly threatened with a knife, sexually assaulted and robbed. Two days later, police say the same group entered a Bankstown unit and assaulted a 32-year-old woman before stealing money. All three accused men were arrested during coordinated raids in Belmore, Punchbowl and Greenacre on Thursday evening.

What happened during the alleged Arncliffe home invasion?

The first reported incident occurred at about midnight on Tuesday, September 29, at a property in Arncliffe, in Sydney’s south-west.

According to reporting by Adeshola Ore and Achol Arok of The Guardian, New South Wales Police were told that a group of men had forced their way into the property and threatened a 31-year-old woman with a knife. Police allege that the woman was then sexually assaulted and that money was taken from the home.

The woman did not know the alleged attackers, according to police information reported by The Guardian. She was taken to hospital for treatment of what police described as minor physical injuries.

ABC News separately reported that the alleged attack took place on September 29 and said police were investigating the possibility that the same group was responsible for the subsequent Bankstown incident.

The allegations remain matters before the courts. The men charged have not been convicted of the offences.

What happened in the alleged Bankstown attack?

Police received a second home-invasion report at about 12.30am on Thursday, October 1, at a unit in Bankstown.

According to The Guardian, police were told that three men had allegedly forced entry into the property before assaulting a 32-year-old woman and stealing money. As with the Arncliffe case, the woman did not know the alleged offenders and was taken to hospital for treatment of minor physical injuries.

ABC News reported that the second incident occurred two days after the Arncliffe allegation and that both women were allegedly choked, punched and restrained, with money taken from their homes.

The New Daily, reporting with Australian Associated Press material, also said the two incidents involved women who were alone at their homes and that police believed the attacks were connected.

The sequence of the two incidents formed the basis for a joint investigation by NSW Police, including detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad.

Why did police believe the women were specifically targeted?

Detective Superintendent Virginia Gorman, commander of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, said investigators believed the alleged attacks were planned.

As reported by Adeshola Ore and Achol Arok of The Guardian, Gorman said investigators believed the men had conducted research and thought the women might be home alone and have money on the premises. Police therefore considered the women to have been specifically targeted.

The same assessment was reported by ABC News, which quoted Gorman as saying investigators believed the offences had been planned in advance.

The New Daily and AAP likewise reported Gorman’s account that police believed the alleged offenders had researched the potential victims and selected women whom they believed were alone and had cash at home.

This remains a police allegation rather than a finding established by a court.

What did police say about the alleged violence?

Police described the alleged conduct as involving a high level of violence.

Gorman told reporters that the men were allegedly armed with a knife and used duct tape to restrain the women, including placing tape over their mouths. She also said one of the women was punched. Her comments were reported by The Guardian, ABC News and The New Daily.

Gorman described the alleged attacks as “very violent” and characterised the level of violence as excessive. Those descriptions are attributed to the police commander rather than presented as an independent conclusion by the news outlets.

ABC News reported that Gorman said the women suffered minor physical injuries but that the psychological effects of an alleged violent invasion of their homes could take considerably longer to recover from.

The New Daily also reported Gorman’s comments that physical injuries could heal while the psychological impact of an alleged home invasion and violence could remain for a longer period.

How did detectives arrest the three accused men?

The investigation brought together police from several units.

ABC News reported that detectives established Strike Force Forela in conjunction with the Sex Crimes Squad to investigate the two incidents.

On Thursday evening, detectives supported by the riot squad executed three search warrants in Sydney’s south-west. The searches took place in Belmore, Punchbowl and Greenacre at about 7.45pm, according to The Guardian, ABC News and The New Daily.

A 20-year-old man was arrested in Belmore. ABC News identified him as Chawkat Ibrahim El Cheikh. Police charged him with aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery, two counts of choking, common assault and using an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence.

A 19-year-old man, identified by ABC News as Arman Nangyal, was arrested in Punchbowl. He was charged with aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, two counts of choking and two counts of aggravated sexual assault, among other offences.

An 18-year-old man, identified as Adam Fakhouri, was arrested in Greenacre. He was charged with aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery and two counts of choking, among other offences.

Were police concerned about another alleged attack?

Police have said they are investigating whether another person could have been targeted.

According to The Guardian, Gorman said police alleged the three men “were on their way to target another person” when they were arrested on Thursday night. She said the matter would be investigated further.

The New Daily and AAP reported a similar account, saying police believed the alleged attackers may have been preparing to target another person and that investigators would examine the circumstances further.

ABC News also reported that police were investigating whether the men had been planning to target a third woman.

At this stage, there is no reported court finding establishing that a third attack was planned or that a particular additional victim had been selected.

What charges do the three men face?

The charges vary between the three accused.

ABC News reported that Chawkat Ibrahim El Cheikh faces charges including aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery, two counts of choking, common assault and use of an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Arman Nangyal faces charges including aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, two counts of choking and two counts of aggravated sexual assault. The reporting also identifies additional charges associated with the alleged incidents.

Adam Fakhouri faces charges including aggravated break and enter, deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery and two counts of choking.

The Guardian reported that all three men were due to face local courts on Friday.

ABC News later reported that El Cheikh was refused bail, while Nangyal and Fakhouri did not apply for bail and their matters were adjourned to Burwood Local Court on November 18.

What happened to the alleged victims?

Both women were taken to hospital after the respective incidents.

Police described their physical injuries as minor, but Detective Superintendent Gorman said the psychological consequences could be more prolonged. The women were also receiving support following the alleged attacks.

The New Daily included contact information for 1800RESPECT, Australia’s national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service, and the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service.

The focus of the police investigation is now both the charges already laid and the wider circumstances surrounding the alleged offences.

What is known about the police investigation?

The investigation was initially handled through police responses in the relevant areas before the cases were brought together.

ABC News reported that Strike Force Forela was established with the Sex Crimes Squad after the two incidents. Detectives subsequently executed search warrants at three Sydney properties with assistance from the riot squad.

The coordinated operation resulted in arrests at three separate locations on Thursday evening.

The timing of the arrests was significant because police had publicly expressed concern about the alleged level of violence and were investigating whether the group could have been preparing another offence. The New Daily reported that Gorman said police were concerned about the level of violence and wanted the alleged offenders arrested as soon as possible.

Further proceedings will determine how the allegations develop through the criminal justice process.

What did other Australian media report about the case?

Several Australian outlets reported broadly consistent accounts of the two incidents and subsequent arrests.

The Guardian, in a report by Adeshola Ore and Achol Arok, described the alleged attacks, the police assessment that the women had been specifically targeted and the Thursday evening raids.

ABC News reported the charges in greater detail and identified the three accused men as Chawkat Ibrahim El Cheikh, Arman Nangyal and Adam Fakhouri. It also reported the subsequent court position concerning bail and the November 18 mention date for two of the accused.

The New Daily published an account credited to The New Daily and AAP, providing further details about the police description of the alleged violence and the court appearances.

7NEWS also reported police allegations that the victims were researched before the attacks and that duct tape was allegedly used to restrain them. Its report said the three accused faced charges including choking, aggravated break and enter, aggravated robbery and use of an offensive weapon.

The Nightly, in a report by Chloe Maher, also reported that NSW Police had charged three men following the two alleged incidents and identified the locations and broad sequence of events.

Across the reports, the central facts are consistent: two separate alleged home invasions occurred in Arncliffe and Bankstown, two women were allegedly assaulted, three young men were arrested after raids across Sydney’s south-west, and police are investigating whether the incidents were planned and linked.

What is the background to the Sydney home-invasion investigation?

The investigation centres on two alleged offences occurring within two days in Sydney’s south-west.

The first was reported in Arncliffe shortly after midnight on September 29. Police allege that a 31-year-old woman was threatened with a knife, sexually assaulted and robbed.

The second was reported in Bankstown at about 12.30am on October 1. Police allege that a 32-year-old woman was assaulted and robbed.

The victims did not know the alleged offenders, according to police information reported by The Guardian. Both were treated in hospital for minor physical injuries.

Police subsequently established Strike Force Forela with the Sex Crimes Squad and conducted searches in Belmore, Punchbowl and Greenacre. The arrests produced charges against three men aged 18, 19 and 20.

The background is therefore one of an active criminal investigation rather than a completed criminal case. The allegations still have to be tested through court proceedings.

How could these developments affect Sydney residents and the local community?

The immediate effect is likely to be continued police and court activity surrounding the two alleged home invasions, while investigators examine whether there was a connection between the incidents and whether another alleged target was involved.

For residents, the case has also highlighted police concerns about alleged offences involving people who were believed to be alone at home. However, the available reporting does not establish that these incidents represent a broader change in crime levels across Sydney.

For the two women involved, police have emphasised that the effects of the alleged incidents extend beyond their physical injuries. Detective Superintendent Gorman said the psychological consequences of an alleged violent intrusion into a person’s home could take longer to recover from.

For the accused men, the immediate consequences are criminal proceedings on serious charges. Their cases will proceed through the NSW court system, where the allegations will be considered according to the applicable legal process.

The investigation into the reported possibility of a third target also remains ongoing. Police have not established through court proceedings that such an attack was definitely planned.

The available evidence therefore points to an active investigation with several unresolved questions, including the full circumstances of the alleged offences, the evidence supporting each charge and whether investigators establish any further intended offences.