A 34-year-old suspect was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly kidnapped a family of four in Kuils River, Cape Town, and demanded a ransom of R400,000.
Hawks spokesperson W/O Zinzi Hani said the kidnapping occurred on August 24. The victims were rescued the next day by a multidisciplinary anti-kidnapping task team and other policing agencies.
“It is reported the four victims, all family members, left Kuils River in a vehicle. They were on their way to Helderstroom Prison in Caledon, where the father works as a prison,” said Hani
“Preliminary investigation revealed the vehicle they were driving was later found abandoned in Endlovini, Khayelitsha.”
The kidnappers demanded a ransom R100,000 per person from the family’s brother and instructed him to not involve the police.
“The four hostages were released at about 4.30am on August 25. A police vehicle from Philippi East saw the hostages and gave them a lift to Kuils River police station,” said Hani.
The suspect is alleged to be a member of a syndicate responsible for another kidnapping in the Western Cape.
Hani said more arrests are imminent.
The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance on September 9.
TimesLIVE
Hawks arrest suspect for kidnapping Cape Town family travelling to visit their prison warden father
Image: 123RF/Belchonok
A 34-year-old suspect was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly kidnapped a family of four in Kuils River, Cape Town, and demanded a ransom of R400,000.
Hawks spokesperson W/O Zinzi Hani said the kidnapping occurred on August 24. The victims were rescued the next day by a multidisciplinary anti-kidnapping task team and other policing agencies.
“It is reported the four victims, all family members, left Kuils River in a vehicle. They were on their way to Helderstroom Prison in Caledon, where the father works as a prison,” said Hani
“Preliminary investigation revealed the vehicle they were driving was later found abandoned in Endlovini, Khayelitsha.”
The kidnappers demanded a ransom R100,000 per person from the family’s brother and instructed him to not involve the police.
“The four hostages were released at about 4.30am on August 25. A police vehicle from Philippi East saw the hostages and gave them a lift to Kuils River police station,” said Hani.
The suspect is alleged to be a member of a syndicate responsible for another kidnapping in the Western Cape.
Hani said more arrests are imminent.
The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance on September 9.
TimesLIVE
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