Gavin “Capable” Preston Death – After the death of one of Melbourne’s most dangerous personalities, Gavin “Capable” Preston, in an ambush, the city’s criminal underworld is on the verge of erupting into a new gangland war. Preston was killed down by two assailants in black masks as they assaulted a cafe on a peaceful suburban shopping strip in Keilor Village on a Saturday morning. Around 10:20 a.m., the event occurred at the Sweet Lulu’s cafe in Keilor East, to the northwest of Melbourne’s CBD.
Abbas Jr. “AJ” Maghnie, Preston’s friend and the son of the late underworld enforcer Nabil Maghnie, was also at the cafe when he was shot in the upper torso. He had emergency surgery on Saturday at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. After serving a lengthy sentence for the shooting death of a narcotics trafficker, Preston, who had been engaged in brutal feuds with competitors in Melbourne’s gangland scene, was freed from jail earlier this year. Preston spent 11 years in prison, and on a Saturday afternoon, two inmates fought each other.
Whether or whether the attack was related to Preston’s death is unclear. Shortly after the shooting, a black Audi matching the suspects’ description was found abandoned in Blair Court. Another car, also found on Cadiz Place in Keilor Downs, was likely the getaway car. Police suspect the attack was linked to organized crime due to its brazen nature, as stated by Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt of the Crime Command. He expressed concern that the incident would inspire similar acts of vengeance.
To prevent future acts of violence, he promised, “Victoria Police is committed to throwing more resources in relation to this investigation and we’ll do everything we possibly can.” We’re not closing any doors until we learn out what happened today, and we’re maintaining an open mind about the possibilities. We are working closely with the public to avoid additional attacks from happening in the future, and I can assure the public that we believe this was a targeted attack and that the criminals were there to shoot the two males who have been shot.
After his release from prison, Preston attempted multiple acts of extortion, including threatening a business owner who had been linked to Nabil Maghnie’s murder. Preston had grown close to Maghnie’s son AJ before the latter’s murder in January 2020 in Epping. The couple run a transport company out of Melbourne’s western suburbs. One informant claimed that it was only a matter of time before Preston was murdered. Preston was also at odds with the Notorious Crime Family, whose leader is the infamous George Marrogi, currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of release in Barwon Prison.
Police and underworld informants say that after Preston’s release from prison, he threatened to rape Jesse Marrogi, the younger brother of the victim, Marrogi. Toby Mitchell, a former enforcer for the Bandidos, and underworld figure Mick Gatto were both on his hit list of potential assassination targets. As police frantically tried to piece together what had happened early Saturday, they sealed off several possible crime scenes. A white Holden Clubsport was parked in an area of the parking lot near the Thirsty Camel bottle outlet that had been cordoned off with tape.
On Saturday afternoon, police pulled the vehicle and a white Jeep Cherokee from the parking lot. After serving nearly 11 years for the murder of a drug trafficker, Preston was freed from prison in April, setting off alarm bells among law enforcement and the criminal underground. Preston is known as “Capable” because of the belief that he can accomplish everything he sets his mind to. The criminal community of Melbourne held him in the highest respect as an enemy. Preston, newly freed from jail, has been busy putting together a gang in the western suburbs that has been linked to a slew of armed robberies and holdups.
Gavin “Capable” Preston Obituary and Funeral Arrangements will be Released by the Family
PHOTO: The Age
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