Police have surrounded a house in Sydney's north-west over the disappearance of 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian.

A police helicopter was seen hovering around a property at Cattai Ridge Road at Glenorie this afternoon.

The development came after police revealed they believed a car torched in Sydney's west earlier this week was linked to the botched kidnapping.

READ MORE: Measles alert issued for Sydney Airport, two flights

Early this morning, officers said a 2022 model Toyota Corolla found burned out in Westmead on Tuesday night had been linked to a property in Dural, where they believe suspects in the case may have stayed in the aftermath of the kidnapping.

Baghsarian has been missing for more than a week after he was snatched from his home in North Ryde, in what detectives say was a case of mistaken identity.

Police believe the car, bearing Victorian registration 1UZ2BU, was torched and dumped just before midnight on Tuesday.

Detectives believe that same car, which was allegedly stolen from Victoria before Baghsarian went missing, had travelled from the abandoned property at Dural.

Images from inside that now-abandoned house have now been released.

Officers are still searching for Baghsarian who relies on daily medication.

His family have pleaded for the elderly grandfather to be released by his captors and police have set up Strike Force Chobat.

Police say "hope is fading" of finding him alive.

"Distressing" videos of him have been sent to police.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything relating to the kidnapping or witnessed any sort of suspicious activity in the Dural area to contact Crime Stoppers..

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

Health authorities are raising the alarm after around 1700 toxic poppy plants were stolen from a secret farm in Victoria.

The alkaloid poppies, which are grown for the pharmaceutical industry, were taken from a regulated crop on a property in Ballarat between February 14 and 16.

Unlike regular opioid poppies, which contain sedative opiates like morphine and codeine, the alkaloid variety contains life-threatening thebaine and oripavine at dangerously high concentrations.

READ MORE: Crews recover bodies of 9 backcountry skiers days after California avalanche

"Thebaine does not produce pain relief, sedation or euphoria," the Victorian Health Department wrote in a statement.

"Thebaine stimulates the nervous system and can lead to seizures, high body temperature, and life-threatening toxicity.

"Any exposure to thebaine may cause toxicity."

Oripavine contains "tiny, trace amounts" of opioids, but can also cause agitation, seizures and "life-threatening complications at high doses".

The department warned the wider community to be vigilant of dried, powdered, or liquid poppy flower product, such as dried flower heads without petals, ground poppy-plant material or "liquid preparations" derived from poppy plants.

Between 2022 and 2023 at least 40 people in Victoria experienced life-threatening agitation, muscle twitching, fevers and seizures after drinking thebaine-contaminated poppy seed tea.

Popular drug antidote Naloxone will only reverse the opioid effects of oripavine and will not reverse thebaine toxicity or toxic stimulant effects of oripavine.

If you experience toxic drug effects or are present when someone has an unexpected reaction, seek help immediately by calling Triple Zero.

Victoria Police said it "strongly discourages any handling, transport, or experimentation with the plants".

Investigations into the theft remain ongoing.

National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline 1800 250 015

Support for families and friends of individuals experiencing alcohol or drug dependency: Family Drug Support Australia 24/7 Support Line – 1300 368 186

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

A manhunt remains under way after police cleared two men of involvement in a serious double stabbing near Melbourne's CBD this morning.

Police said a 21-year-old and 22-year-old man were set upon on Palmer Street in Collingwood about 3.15am today.

They were both taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening stab wounds to their upper bodies.

READ MORE: Laos hostel that served deadly tainted alcohol set to reopen

Forensic officers this morning collected evidence from blood spatters on cars and blood-stained clothing discarded on streets surrounding the Collingwood crime scene.

Neighbour Kate Hookey described hearing "a lot of screaming" around the time of the violent attack.

"I opened up the blind and the police officer just said 'go inside, there's been an incident'," she said.

READ MORE: Melbourne teen dies in hospital a week after being struck by a car

Hours after the stabbing, police arrested and searched a man in his early 20s one street away from the scene, before taking him away for questioning.

About an hour later a second man was arrested metres down the road inside a block of flats.

The pair were spoken to by investigators but police later cleared them of any involvement in the stabbing and released them.

Police believe those responsible for the double stabbing drove away from the scene.

So far neither of the victims are cooperating with police.

"It's weird because it's right outside the house, It's too close to home," Hookey said.

"Awful, really concerning. Makes you feel a bit unsafe and worried."

Police are seeking information from the public as their investigation continues.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

Auckland police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Police said an argument outside a restaurant led to a car shooting and high-speed chase.

A rare $1 million reward is being offered to help solve the 1981 cold case sex assault and murder of a 25-year-old Melbourne woman.

Haroula Kipouridou's body was discovered in a jammed lift about 2.30am on July 3, 1981, about 30 minutes after work friends dropped her to her mother's home in Richmond's commission flats.

Detective acting Sergeant Leigh Prados said the young singer had been bashed, strangled and left on the floor semi-naked.

READ MORE: Crews recover bodies of 9 backcountry skiers days after California avalanche

"She had been violently attacked – whoever did this did it with a high level of brutality," Prados said today.

The cold case detective is determined to solve the 45-year-old cold case for Kipouridou's siblings, who are desperate for answers.

"The people who are left behind, who loved Haroula, that's why we do it," Prados said.

It's one of several cases police are confident they'll be able to solve.

"We have families out there who have lost loved ones who expect and want to know their investigations is still being looked at," Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.

Several suspects have been interviewed and police are not ruling out links to other similar crimes of the era.

But time is of the essence.

READ MORE: Police probe burnt-out car as search for missing grandfather Chris Baghsarian continues

"It's an appeal to a person's conscience that after 45 years as people get older and we approach our own inevitable end, there may be witnesses who need to reflect on things they know, they saw, they heard or they were told, and to please come forward," Prados said.

"It really is a case of now or never."

The 25-year-old was engaged and working as a singer at a Greek tavern on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy at the time of her murder.

While the business no longer exists, investigators are hoping members of the public can cast their minds back to 1981, urging anyone who interacted with her on the night of her death to come forward.

"We will never, ever, stop trying to find you," Prados said.

"We will keep looking for you, try to hold you responsible for what you did."

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here

The crowd next to the police car swelled to about 24 before the officer reversed.

The couple received 849 live stolen crays air-trafficked from Dunedin in 2024.

An off-duty police officer has been charged after allegedly being caught drink driving twice within hours.

The 53-year-old man, a sergeant at a Northern Region Command in New South Wales, allegedly gave a positive breath test at 11.30am on the Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbour.

He was arrested and taken to Woolgoolga Police Station where he had further breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.131.

READ MORE: Former 'American Idol' contestant charged with murdering wife, staging crime scene

He was given a Future Court Attendance Notice, charged with drive with mid-range PCA, and his driving licence was suspended.

Later, at 9.15pm police were called to reports members of the public had detained a driver on Red Rock Road, Red Rock, near Coffs Harbour after he was seen driving dangerously.

READ MORE: Police uncover 28 kilograms of cocaine hidden behind TV on luxury bus

The driver – allegedly the same one – allegedly tested positive.

He was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.191.

He was charged with high-range PCA and drive motor vehicle whilst licence suspended.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday April 7 2026.

The officer's employment status is under review, NSW Police said.

READ MORE: Australia is staring down the barrel of a dry, hot autumn

A witness said the man was thrown from the roof as the car sped up in Auckland.