In a concerted effort to eradicate any form of criminality in this Province, especially the serious and violent crimes, an Intelligence Led Joint Operation composed of the Provincial Tracking Team, Crime Intelligence and the Provincial Detectives, intercepted a kidnapping syndicate during the night of 27 December 2017.
Following information received by operatives about an alleged kidnapping incident in progress of a business man in the Thohoyandou Policing area, a sting joint operation was activated.
The suspects demanded a ransom from the family members of the kidnapped victim to release him. After they ordered the family to drop the ransom money at a particular point in Polokwane, the members monitored the drop-off point until about 01:00 the morning when the transaction started.
Police approached the suspects and ordered them to surrender, but they sped off and a vehicle chase ensued.
The suspects started shooting at the Police who retaliated, for a distance of about 43 kilometres from Polokwane along the R81/ Polokwane and Mooketsi road, when the driver of the suspect’s car, lost control.
One suspect managed to escape and fled, the second suspect was arrested.
One suspect managed to escape and fled, the second suspect was arrested. The kidnapped victim was successfully rescued without any harm.
The arrested suspect will appear before the Thohoyandou Magistrate Court soon on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, impersonating a Traffic Police Officer and extortion.
The second suspect who is now identified, is still being traced. Police investigations are still continuing.
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