At one house, floral tributes mark the home of an innocent grandfather taken and killed, as his heartbroken family begs for privacy.
At two other properties are heavily-armed police, who barge down the doors and drag out two men suspected of kidnap and murder, barefoot and barely dressed in ill-fitting designer clothes.
Senior police allege the duo - a 29-year-old man in Kenthurst and a 24-year-old man in Castle Hill - and a third unknown person took 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian from his North Ryde house about 11 days ago.
Authorities confirmed human remains found on Sydney's northwest outskirts on Tuesday were his, completing his family's horror.
They suspect Mr Baghsarian was killed at a makeshift stronghold in the semi-rural Sydney suburb of Dural, before his body was dumped hours later.
"It's somebody's worst nightmare, right?" Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks said.
"The fact an innocent man was taken from his home is not acceptable.
"These people need to be held to account for that, and that's why we are bringing these people before the courts."
Vision of the arrests shows the younger man, shirtless and in knee-length Adidas shorts, being marched out to a police vehicle by two armed officers as a number of detectives look on.
Another image shows the older man slumped in the back of a police car wearing designer clothing, with his head pointed down and his stomach protruding from his shirt.
Both remain at a local police station where they were taken for questioning.
They are yet to be charged, but Det Act Supt Marks indicated they were set to face murder and kidnapping charges as two of three people who allegedly bundled Mr Baghsarian into a car.
Police are chasing the third alleged offender with the awareness that more were likely involved in the incident.
Authorities believe the intended target for the abduction was a relative of underworld-linked Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, who lived on the same street as Mr Baghsarian.
Det Act Supt Marks suspected the intended target was to be kidnapped in hope of a ransom fee being paid, and confirmed reports the figure demanded was $50 million.
Mr Baghsarian's family, who described the harrowing ordeal of the kidnapping as a "nightmare", expressed relief the alleged offenders had been caught.
"We welcome the news of the recent arrests in relation to the kidnapping of our father and grandfather," they said in a brief statement.
They asked for privacy, as they come to grips with the death of their devoted father, brother, uncle and grandfather "who would never hurt a fly".
The recklessness the kidnappers showed in both taking the wrong man and targeting a family member has angered authorities.
Police repeatedly told the kidnappers they had the wrong person and publicly urged them to release the elderly man, who relied on daily medication.
Several of those public appeals occurred after the evening of February 14, when police believe his attackers disposed of his body at Pitt Town, a semi-rural area on Sydney's northern outskirts.
Detectives found the remains near a local golf club after members of the public reported seeing a vehicle linked to the investigation in the area a day after Mr Baghsarian disappeared.
They have not yet determined how he was killed as an autopsy has not been undertaken.
Premier Chris Minns described the grandfather's ordeal as "a shocking violent crime" and said the criminals responsible would be met with a swift response.
"(They) will not get away with it," he said.
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