ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-09-13 · by Miriah Davis and Tony Ibrahim
A witness in Sydney's south-west described intervening during a carjacking where a 36-year-old man allegedly took his two young sons and fled with a small black knife. Nicholas Karagiannis chased after the father who was trying to enter other vehicles, attempting to help the children but encountering resistance from the man. The incident involved several bystanders trying to subdue the alleged perpetrator near Parramatta Road and Bombay Street in Lidcombe before he crashed and escaped again on the M4 highway. The 36-year-old has since been charged and appeared in court with his next hearing set for September 24.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Saturday, a 36-year-old man in Sydney's west fled police during a welfare check and led authorities on a dangerous chase involving multiple incidents. The pursuit began after police tried to stop the car because its driver refused to pull over; it then moved through Belmore, Auburn, and onto the M4 Motorway where he drove into oncoming traffic before crashing near Lidcombe.
After the crash, the man exited his vehicle with two children (his sons) and attempted a carjacking. A 25-year-old bystander tried to intervene but was injured in a stabbing incident during which the suspect stole another driver's car. The suspect then fled westbound along the M4 before stopping on Cumberland Highway at Wentworthville, where he was apprehended by an off-duty police officer with help from civilians.
The children were treated for minor injuries while the alleged perpetrator received medical attention and faces charges related to the incident. Nicholas Karagiannis, one of those who tried to assist, recounted seeing the suspect with a small black knife at Lidcombe near Parramatta Road and Bombay Street.
Written for “Sydney Carjacking Incident” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 8541 · logged 2026-09-13
In short:
A witness has described the moment he intervened in an alleged daylight carjacking involving two young boys in Sydney's south-west.
asserted
he → describe → west
Video shows several bystanders attempting to subdue the father of the two boys who was allegedly armed with a "small black knife" on a busy road.
uncertain
who → show → road
The 36-year-old father has been charged.
asserted
father → charge → ?
He appeared in court from hospital with the matter adjourned until September 24.
asserted
matter → appear → September
A bystander who attempted to protect two children during a pursuit and carjacking in Sydney's south-west, described the moment a man allegedly lunged at him with a knife.
uncertain
man → attempt → knife
About 3pm on Saturday, police were called to carry out a welfare check on a 36-year-old man in Lakemba, but he fled in a vehicle with two children, who police confirmed were his sons.
asserted
police → call → children
Officers engaged in a short pursuit through the Campsie area, which they said was called off due to the "manner of the man's driving".
asserted
they → engage → driving
The car crashed at the intersection of Parramatta Road and Bombay Street at Lidcombe, about nine kilometres away, where members of the public attempted to intervene after the father got out of the car with the boys.
asserted
father → crash → boys
Nicholas Karagiannis was driving along Parramatta Road when he came across the crash scene.
asserted
he → drive → scene
While rendering assistance to the driver, the 46-year-old said he heard bystanders yell, "He's getting away" and "He's got children".
asserted
He → render → children
Mr Karagiannis said he chased after the man, who was allegedly attempting to enter other vehicles while armed with a knife.
uncertain
who → say → knife
Instinctively, Mr Karagiannis said he wanted to make sure the two boys were okay, but "everything happened so fast".
asserted
everything → say → ?
"He had a knife in his hand, he did not look well," he said.
asserted
he → have → hand
"I can't get that boy's face out my head."
asserted
I → get → head
Video shows Mr Karagiannis and several other men attempting to subdue the father in the middle of a busy road.
asserted
Karagiannis → show → road
At one point Mr Karagiannis managed to grab one of the young boys "but the boy wanted to go back".
asserted
boy → manage → boys
"They were just crying …
asserted
They → cry → ?
in shock, my heart bleeds for those kids," he said.
asserted
he → bleed → kids
Mr Karagiannis said he pleaded with the father to let the children go to no avail.
asserted
children → say → avail
In the video, the man appeared to bundle the boys into a black Kia Cerato, and moments later the female driver is forcibly thrown from the car.
asserted
driver → appear → car
Police said he allegedly threatened the woman with what they described as "a small black knife".
uncertain
they → say → knife
"I just did what I think anyone else would do in that situation [when] you see a guy with a knife and two young boys," Mr Karagiannis said.
asserted
Karagiannis → do → knife
The children, aged between five and seven, suffered minor injuries and were expected to be released from hospital on Sunday.
asserted
children → age → Sunday
Inspector Mark Wakeham said a member of the public had unsuccessfully tried to remove the keys from the Cerato's ignition, sustaining a laceration to his hand as the father sped off with the two children inside.
asserted
father → say → children
The vehicle came to a stop on the M4 near the overpass of Greystaynes Road before being approached by members of the public, including an off-duty police officer, Inspector Wakeham added.
asserted
Wakeham → come → officer
Bystanders this time managed to restrain him before police arrived.
asserted
police → manage → him
Inspector Wakeham described their actions as "incredibly brave".
asserted
Wakeham → describe → actions
"They did a wonderful job and we'd like to thank members of the public for assisting us with this case.
asserted
we → do → case
He ruled out the incident as an act of kidnapping.
asserted
He → rule → kidnapping
The man remained under police guard in hospital on Sunday where he was charged with three offences, including aggravated robbery with wounding, police pursuit and reckless wounding.
asserted
he → remain → wounding
In the afternoon he appeared in court from hospital via a video link.
asserted
he → appear → link
He did not apply for bail with the matter adjourned until September 24.
asserted
matter → apply → September