A University of the Witwatersrand student who was kidnapped in Johannesburg on Tuesday has been admitted to hospital after being found by police.
A multidisciplinary police team traced the 18-year-old to the Denver men's hostel, where he was found bound and unconscious a day later.
Seven suspects have been arrested, Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said.
Three knives and the student’s personal items were seized.
Muridili said: “The student was reported missing the same day by his roommate. It is reported that he was lured to the suspects through a dating site called Grindr.
“The suspects demanded R30,000 from his family for his safe return.”
A sting operation was set up by a team comprising Gauteng crime intelligence, organised crime investigations, Hillbrow detectives, Johannesburg trio detectives, Johannesburg metro police K9 and security companies that included Vision Tactical, JT VIP, CAP Security, Fidelity Strategic Team and Cellular Data Investigation.
A breakthrough came when an ATM was identified where one of the suspects was expected to withdraw the ransom money on the M2. He was placed under arrest as soon as he arrived on Wednesday and agreed to show officers where the victim was being held captive.
All seven will be charged with kidnapping and extortion.
The team is investigating if the suspects are linked to other cases of “hook-up holdup” in Gauteng with the same modus operandi, Muridili said.
TimesLIVE
Wits student lured through online dating site rescued from kidnappers
Image: 123RF
A University of the Witwatersrand student who was kidnapped in Johannesburg on Tuesday has been admitted to hospital after being found by police.
A multidisciplinary police team traced the 18-year-old to the Denver men's hostel, where he was found bound and unconscious a day later.
Seven suspects have been arrested, Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said.
Three knives and the student’s personal items were seized.
Muridili said: “The student was reported missing the same day by his roommate. It is reported that he was lured to the suspects through a dating site called Grindr.
“The suspects demanded R30,000 from his family for his safe return.”
A sting operation was set up by a team comprising Gauteng crime intelligence, organised crime investigations, Hillbrow detectives, Johannesburg trio detectives, Johannesburg metro police K9 and security companies that included Vision Tactical, JT VIP, CAP Security, Fidelity Strategic Team and Cellular Data Investigation.
A breakthrough came when an ATM was identified where one of the suspects was expected to withdraw the ransom money on the M2. He was placed under arrest as soon as he arrived on Wednesday and agreed to show officers where the victim was being held captive.
All seven will be charged with kidnapping and extortion.
The team is investigating if the suspects are linked to other cases of “hook-up holdup” in Gauteng with the same modus operandi, Muridili said.
TimesLIVE
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