The police seized a Range Rover and two other vehicles during the arrest of five suspected kidnappers at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg. (Supplied/SAPS)
- Five people have been arrested following a foiled kidnapping.
- The police set a trap to catch the suspected kidnappers.
- The operation followed a tip-off that a woman intended to have her employer kidnapped.
Five suspected kidnappers were arrested when the police foiled a kidnapping in Johannesburg on Friday.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the five people were taken into custody at Melrose Arch.
“South African Police Service Crime Intelligence and organised crime operatives, including the Hawks, have been working on information they received of a South African woman who was planning for her employer to be kidnapped and forced to withdraw large sums of money from her business bank account.
“Through intelligence tactics and working closely with the target … a mock kidnapping was planned,” Mathe said.
She declined to reveal any more information on the operation, saying doing so would “expose how intelligence-driven operations are conducted”.
Three vehicles – a Range Rover, Toyota Ayga and Polo Vivo – were seized during the arrest.
Ten cellphones were also confiscated.
The suspects were charged with conspiracy to kidnap and extortion.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said: “This was a sensitive operation, but through the experience and skill set of our organised crime and intelligence team, we have managed to break the back of this syndicate. We do believe we have foiled many other kidnappings through the takedown of this syndicate. Investigations are continuing to determine if [the syndicate] can be linked to other kidnappings, especially for ransom.”
