Sydney home invasion gang allegedly raped, assaulted women in separate attacks

October 2, 2026 — 11:11amThree men have been arrested after allegedly physically and sexually assaulting two women in two separate home invasions in Sydney’s south-west, including choking one woman while she was held captive.The trio, aged 18, 19 and 20, allegedly forced their way into a unit on Jacobs Street, Bankstown, just after midnight on September 1, 2026, where they allegedly assaulted a 32-year-old woman and stole money.A month later on Tuesday, the three men allegedly forced their way into a second woman’s home on Marinea Street in Arncliffe, allegedly threatening a 31-year-old with a knife and stealing money. The 19-year-old allegedly twice sexually assaulted her.Both women were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.Detectives believe the trio targeted the women, who are sex workers, because they believed they would have cash at their homes, and may be hesitant to report the alleged assault to police.On Tuesday, strike force detectives, alongside Public Order and Riot Squad, Southwest Metropolitan Operations Support Group, and local police, executed three search warrants in Belmore, Punchbowl, and Greenacre.Chawkat Ibrahim El Cheikh, 20, was arrested in Belmore and taken to Burwood Police Station, where he was charged with aggravated break and enter and deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery and deprivation of liberty, two counts of choke person intent to commit an indictable offence, common assault and use of an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence.He was refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Friday.Arman Nangyal,19, was arrested in Punchbowl and taken to Campsie Police Station, where he was charged with aggravated break and enter and deprivation of liberty, two counts of choking a person with intent to commit an indictable offence, two counts of aggravated sex assault-deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery and deprivation of liberty, common assault, use of an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence and fail to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.Adam Fakhouri,18, was arrested in Greenacre and taken to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with aggravated break and deprivation of liberty, aggravated robbery and deprivation of liberty, two counts of choking a person with intent to commit an indictable offence, common assault and use of an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence.Fakhouri and Nangyal were refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Friday.Nangyal was on conditional release at the time of the alleged offences. In June, he had been found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the company of others and destroying or damaging property, but no conviction was recorded. He was issued an 18-month conditional release order.More to come. Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.Riley Walter is a crime reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners