Kidnap plot, no bones about it

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A Noble Park man has been jailed over a “serious and disturbing” plot to kidnap his partner’s ex which he disclosed to an undercover police officer.
Adrian Oorloff, 48, had told the officer to deliver the intended victim Richard Macko to a rural property where the accused said he would “burn the body” in a “cremation unit”, Judge Michael Bourke of the Victorian County Court said during the sentencing on 19 October.
The successful Keysborough-based chiropractor had pleaded guilty to charges of incitement to kidnap, trafficking methamphetamine and possessing GHB and cannabis, as well as three summary offences.
He said that Oorloff had been driven to act in an “extravagantly criminal and sinister way” against Mr Macko and his family in July and August 2015.
During that six week period, the Macko family were in hiding and moved to 14 different locations.
The victim described the feeling of “blood draining out of my body” when he realised how serious the treat was.
“I can’t comprehend how this could happen to me.”
There was no evidence that Oorloff’s partner played a role in the plot, the judge found.
In several meetings, Oorloff had unveiled his plan to a covert police officer and paid a $5000 down-payment to the officer to deliver Mr Macko to him.
Mr Macko was then to “disappear without trace”, Oorloff told the officer.
At a Skye property, police found a device matching a “cremation unit” that Oorloff described to the officer.
According to the property’s owner, the device had been delivered there in July 2015. He had been told by Oorloff that it was a “pizza oven”.
The officer had been promised $20,000 to complete the deal and was given two syringes of “liquid G” or GHB to immobilise the victim during the kidnapping.
Just after midnight on 20 August 2015, Oorloff installed tracking devices on the Macko’s cars – a day after discussions with the police officer.
He had provided photos, work details, movements of the victim and his family as well as details on the home’s security to the officer.
In a subsequent police search of Oorloff’s home and clinic, items such as $2000 cash, batteries, a tracking device, and a syringe of GHB were seized.
In the kitchen was 24 grams of cannabis and a round of ammunition, and 30 grams of methamphetamine.
There was also ‘ice’ found in 17 plastic bags, as well as digital scales and a grinder, and texts and calls suggestive of trafficking on Oorloff’s phone.
Judge Bourke stressed that Oorloff was not charged with incitement to murder, and so would not be sentenced on that basis.
He said he struggled to link Oorloff’s diagnosed ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder to the “serious and disturbing” offending.
It was noted the accused’s “very limited” criminal history but also his limited insight into the seriousness of his plan.
Oorloff had genuine prospects of rehabilitation but was unlikely to able to continue his profession, Judge Bourke said.
Oorloff was jailed for six years and three months – with a non-parole period of four years and three months.