Police arrest three for kidnapping KZN woman

PIETERMARITZBURG - In a joint effort between uMgungundlovu Crime Intelligence, Alexandra police station Crime Prevention officers, and Mi7 National Group, three suspects linked to the kidnapping and assault of a Pietermaritzburg woman were arrested after exhaustive investigations. 

On Tuesday, 28 January, the elderly woman was allegedly kidnapped by four people, two men and two women, from a shopping centre in Scottsville. It is believed the four lured the woman into their vehicle, a Suzuki Ertiga, and demanded access to her banking app. When she didn't comply, she was beaten relentlessly inside the vehicle as the suspects left the area. 

Unfortunately, the woman was assaulted so badly that her device's facial recognition software could not verify her features to allow access to the banking app. That is when the suspects allegedly contacted the woman's daughter to ask for a passcode to the app. Becoming suspicious, the daughter immediately reported this to the police. 

Police teams immediately got to work, tirelessly checking surveillance footage from shop cameras in the area to identify the getaway car. Once a make and model was identified, they approached Mi7 teams to access the Mi7 Surveillance Net. The system was able to provide registration details, which were used to find the owner - a man based in the Amanzimtoti area. Police teams tracked down the owner, and he was arrested. He then led police to the other two suspects - a man and a woman - in the Umlazi area. 

The kidnapped woman was abandoned in the Umgababa area on KZN's South Coast. She was found by locals who took her to a clinic for treatment and contacted her daughter. It is understood that she is in a stable condition. She was robbed of her cellphone and some cash. 

"We salute all police personnel involved in the arrest. Their dedication and relentless work is to be commended. It is believed the suspects may be linked other cases, and further investigations are underway," Mi7 National Group said.