A Sydney mother who was kidnapped before being found dead in a burnt out car may have been targeted after someone close to her ripped off a drug syndicate.
Thi Kim Tran was abducted from her Bankstown home on Thursday when a group of up to five men armed with guns and baseball bats stormed the property.
Ms Tran, 45, was bundled into an SUV at gunpoint while an eight-year-old boy was left with serious head injuries after being struck with a bat.
Neighbors reported bloodcurdling screams coming from the home as Ms Tran was forced into one of two cars driven by the intruders.
Remains believed to be that of Ms Tran’s were discovered an hour later at Welfare Ave, Beverly Hills when emergency services were alerted to a car fire.
A manhunt to find those responsible continues but police suspect Ms Tran was murdered because someone close to her fell foul of a drug gang, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
It is not suggested Ms Tran was involved in any wrongdoing, nor her husband who was out of state at the time of the horrific incident.
Police have confirmed the family were not well-known to authorities.
“This crime is horrendous, the level of violence is unheard of,” Superintendent Rodney Hart said on Friday.
“But I want to reassure the community we strongly believe this is a targeted incident and this has not been a random kidnapping.”
CCTV footage emerged of Ms Tran’s terrifying final moments showing her being abducted from her home.
The vision, blocked partially by trees and other vehicles, captured two cars, a white sedan and dark-coloured SUV, pulling up on Edward St, Bankstown about 10.30pm on Thursday night.
Figures are seen moving towards the house, with the 45-year-old woman appearing in the drive way a short time later. She was stripped naked and bundled into one of the cars.
Another boy, 15, who was present at the home called police soon after.
A relative paid tribute to Ms Tran over the weekend calling for the “local government to quickly brighten up, return justice to my aunt.”
One of Ms Tran’s neighbors claimed to have seen saw a group of men wearing hoodies hanging around, walking in and out of the street, about 7.30pm 7NEWS.com.au reports.
The NSW government has also responded to criticism it had been silent on reassuring the community after the shocking crime.
Opposition police spokesperson Paul Toole accused senior ministers of being “missing in action” having not spoken following the incident.
“Everybody in that area would be living in fear thinking they could be the next victims of these thugs,” he said.
Acting Premier Prue Car told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday the “brazen and violent” attack had “shaken” the city.
“Our thoughts are with the young children affected and the loved ones of the woman,” she said.
“The level of violence involved, particularly against children, is confronting and completely unacceptable.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously described it as a “horrific event”.
Local police and specialist detectives from the NSW Homicide Squad have formed Strike Force Bushfield to the investigate the incident.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers.
