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Man dies during suspected home invasion in Sydney’s southwest

Adella Beaini, Chris Harris and Nick Hansen, The Daily Telegraph

Police said family man Johan Schwartz, 44, woke to the sound of his dogs barking at his Harrington Park home about 7.30am and went downstairs to find the 35-year-old intruder, who police described as “muscular”, standing inside his living room.

There was a confrontation between the pair and police suspect Mr Schwartz was restraining the would-be thief when he lost consciousness.

Mr Schwarz’s wife called to neighbours who ran into the house and began CPR on the man. Paramedics were also called but the intruder could not be revived.

Mr Schwartz, a business analyst known to neighbours as Francois, accompanied detectives to Narellan police station.

Following more than 10 hours of questioning, he was released without charge “pending further inquiries’’.

Camden Police Chief Inspector Shane Woolbank said Mr Schwartz was “affected” by the confrontation but was co-operating fully with police.

“People are entitled to (defend) their home, they’re entitled to use reasonable force to protect themselves and their property,” he said.

“The autopsy will determine hopefully his cause of death, which will be a significant factor in where we take this investigation. Like any incident that involves the death of a person, it has affected (Mr Schwartz) but he is co-operating.

“His wife and young child were at home, however they have been spoken to and are in the care of friends and relatives­.”

Police were yesterday working to identify the dead man, who had been seen by other residents earlier in the night.

“The man has a ginger-like moustache and beard, he was wearing a blue sleeveless top and grey Nike training shorts. He also had two distinct tattoos, one on the left upper inside of his arm, but that tattoo was not in English,” Insp Woolbank said. A tattoo on his chest began with the words “True to ourself”.

Neighbour Domenic Lombardo said he saw a man run through a neighbouring building site around the time of the home invasion and he was “breathing heavy and mumbling to himself’’.

Police believe other people had interactions with the deceased about 3am in the same area but were not certain he had tried to break into other homes.

A second crime scene was set up nearby, where police believe he had been earlier.