By Tara Cosoleto, AAP, and Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Pakenham man charged over a $2 million jewellery heist has been remanded in custody.
Masoud Izadi, 60, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday 2 February after he was charged with armed robbery and assault-related offences.
It’s alleged the man and another accused entered Zara Jewellers in Dandenong late last year, assaulting a worker before robbing the store.
The pair allegedly took off with pendants, rings, bracelets and necklaces worth about $2m.
According to charge sheets, Izadi was allegedly armed with a knife and metal bar while stealing the 21-carat gold jewellery, cash and a CCTV hard drive.
He was also charged with assault and false imprisonment against a victim at the store, destroying the CCTV system and stealing a $90,000 Range Rover owned by the store.
Izadi was also accused of dealing with $3500 cash suspected to be proceeds of crime in Dandenong on 1 February – the day he was arrested.
He appeared at court in person and was assisted by a Farsi translator throughout the hearing.
His lawyer told the magistrate it was the 60-year-old’s first time in custody and he needed treatment for a broken left wrist and injured knee.
Izadi did not apply for bail and was instead remanded in custody ahead of a committal mention hearing in April.
The prosecution has been given six weeks to compile a brief of evidence, including CCTV footage.
Izadi’s co-accused, a 66-year-old man from Doncaster, is due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon.
