Former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has broken his silence after being accused of damaging the letterbox at his former western Sydney home.
Mehajer, 40, was arrested on Friday night and charged with tampering with a mail receptacle, damaging property, and entering enclosed lands. Police allege that Mehajer was captured on CCTV at his former Lidcombe home shortly before 10 p.m. on Thursday, bending and manipulating the letterbox. The property developer appeared in court on Saturday, where he was granted bail.
Later that night, Mehajer took to social media to address the incident, claiming he was retrieving mail addressed to him. "Grateful that common sense prevailed," he told his 121,000 followers on his private Instagram account. "Yes, I'm out... after allegedly taking my own mail."
Earlier on Saturday, the court heard that Mehajer's lawyer, Evan James, argued that his client had made an "honest mistake" and was unaware the property had been sold earlier this year. James stated that Mehajer believed he had permission from the trustee to collect his mail, as a new bank card had been sent to his former address. "This was his own former mailbox," James told the court. "He served a lengthy period in custody and his assets were taken over by a trustee. He had permission from the trustee to attend that property."
Police opposed bail, questioning why Mehajer would manipulate a mailbox late at night instead of knocking on the door. Sergeant Jason Tozer told the court, "This is a man convicted of dealing with identity information, which is often stolen from mailboxes."
As part of his bail conditions, Mehajer is prohibited from going within 100 meters of his former Lidcombe home and must report to police three times a week. He is scheduled to reappear in Parramatta Local Court on July 14.
Mehajer was released from jail in July 2025 after serving a five-year sentence and remains on parole. He has previously been jailed for lying to a court and served back-to-back sentences for other offenses, including domestic violence. His incarcerations included time in Sydney's Silverwater maximum-security prison and Goulburn Supermax.
Since his release, Mehajer has maintained a low profile, with occasional social media posts, court appearances, and public outings. He has also indicated he is writing a memoir, with plans to share extracts with his followers.