A man has been caught with a sub-machinegun in his bag at a major shopping centre in Sydney's inner west, police say.
As shoppers were heading to Marrickville Metro at lunchtime on Wednesday, the man travelled to the shopping centre by taxi with a Thompson-brand fully automatic sub-machine gun,148 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition and 44 shotgun shells.
Marc Avidov, 41, met officers involved in a police operation from the State Crime Command's Firearms Squad and Tactical Operations Unit inside the shopping centre car park on Murray Street.
Police say they searched his bag and found the weapon and ammunition. Mr Avidov was convicted three months ago of possessing a police baton.
The Thompson sub-machinegun, nicknamed the "Tommy gun", was most commonly associated with Chicago gangsters in the early 20th century and was used extensively in World War II.
"That's a pretty serious weapon," a police spokesman said. "It is not one that often turns up."
A witness to the arrest said he had never seen that sort of thing happen before.
"From what I understand, since it was an undercover operation, the shopping centre car park is the best place.
"If it's in public nothing can happen to anyone."
NSW Police and Marrickville Metro management would not comment on the public safety concerns of the operation as the matter was before the court.
A spokesman said that officers from several specialist police sections were in attendance to make the arrest.
Mr Avidov was charged with possessing an unregistered and prohibited firearm, acquiring a firearm without a licence or permit and possessing ammunition without holding a licence.
Police already had warrants out for Mr Avidov, who was convicted of multiple charges in August after failing to attend court.
In April. he tried to pawn a stolen laptop. In July, he was found with a NSW Police Force extendible baton.
He had a mobile printer with 28 blank driver's licences and five blank Eftpos cards, as well as fake passport materials.
Mr Avidov appeared in Newtown Local Court just after noon on Thursday wearing blue jeans and a blue button-up shirt. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
He has applied for his earlier convictions to be annulled and will return to court next Thursday.
