A search is under way for body parts after a dismembered torso was discovered metres from a quiet suburban street.
Several passersby in Sydney's Lane Cove reported their suspicions about a foul odour and abandoned couch beside Avian Crescent to police on Wednesday.
Officers arrived to discover the torso inside the couch, itself tucked just five metres into the bushland bordering the residential street.
Authorities informed the public of the discovery on Thursday morning, suggesting the torso may have been there for several days.
"The remains were a torso, they were devoid of head, arms and legs," Superintendent Paul Devaney told reporters.
Police did not yet have leads as to the location of other body parts with investigators seen bashing through the thick shrubbery near the scene with a sniffer dog earlier in the morning.
A street bordering the bushland remained blocked off for forensic experts.
Supt Devaney said the scene was confronting for officers, but they remained focused on finding answers for the deceased's loved ones.
"I'm more concerned for the relatives and the family of the victim, and that's why we are working around the clock to try and identify this person," he said.
He said the event would be unusual for locals on the "very, very quiet street" in an area that has "probably nil crime rate".
"It's distressing to the local community, and I want to reassure them I'm confident they're not under any threat," he said.
One resident said the discovery was the most disturbing event to have occurred in the area.
"I've lived in the areas for about 50 years, 15 years in this street, and I've never seen anything like this," Ken Fawtouh told AAP.
"It's very disturbing knowing an area like this, I get worried, I've got grandkids."
Supt Devaney said investigators were checking missing persons lists while the cause and circumstance of the death remained unknown.
The scene could remain cut off from the public for at least a couple days, he said.
