Lawyers for two of four French men charged with the alleged theft of over $10 million in luxury goods from a Canberra home have indicated their clients will plead guilty.
Ilyes Abdelkader, Mohamed Abdelkader, Mohamed Naimi, and Antoni Voisin are each charged with aggravated burglary and joint commission theft. The alleged incident occurred on October 15 of last year.
Items purportedly stolen included designer jewellery, handbags, and watches, notably a Richard Mille watch valued at more than $5 million.
The four men were arrested at a Sydney KFC restaurant four days after the alleged burglary and have remained in custody since. Police reported recovering some of the stolen goods at a short-term rental property in Wentworthville, Sydney, with other items located by authorities in France. Several items remain unrecovered.
During a recent mention in the ACT Magistrates Court, legal representatives for Ilyes Abdelkader and Mohamed Abdelkader formally indicated their clients' intention to enter guilty pleas at their subsequent court appearance.
A dispute exists regarding the total value of the stolen goods, initially estimated at over $10 million, with lawyers asserting the amount is considerably lower. Mohamed Abdelkader's lawyer, Raymond Zhai, stated that resolving this valuation is crucial.
Mohamed Naimi's lawyer, Sam Bol Bol, suggested his client would likely plead not guilty, though no formal indication was made. The court noted that additional translation services are required to enable the French defendants to review the statement of facts.
The case has been adjourned until February 12, with the men remaining in custody.