Africa-Press – South-Africa. More than 430 people were kidnapped in the Western Cape during the first half of this year.
The latest crime statistics, released by the Western Cape police this week, showed that kidnappings had increased by 7% year on year between April and June.
Between January and March, 193 people were kidnapped, with most of the cases (137) taking place in Cape Town.
Between April and June, 244 people were kidnapped. Of those, 187 cases were recorded in Cape Town.
There was an increase in the number of kidnappings linked to ransom between April and June, compared to the previous three months. Thirteen kidnappings for ransom were recorded between April and June, compared to the three between January and March.
There were four cases linked to extortion across the six months.
At the briefing, police said that many kidnapping cases had been linked to domestic violence.
Among the top precincts for kidnapping is Mfuleni, where 25 cases were recorded between January and June, followed by Khayelitsha (23), Milnerton (22), Delft (21) and Gugulethu (20).
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile said that high-density operations had resulted in eight arrests in kidnapping for ransom cases, as well as 10 arrests in connection with extortion.
Patekile urged the public to report extortion and kidnapping tip-offs to the Provincial Extortion Hotline on 080 031 4444.
“We want to see more arrests. We want to get to the masterminds behind it. When people have used this number in the past, it has assisted us with kidnappings. We are the only province to have success with kidnappings for ransoms,” he said.
In June, a 31-year-old woman was kidnapped in Parow Industria, and later rescued and reunited with her family. She was kidnapped after she left a family business where she works. Her vehicle was later discovered abandoned at NY 99 in Gugulethu, after she failed to return home from work.
At the time, police did not confirm if a ransom had been paid.
Eight men have since been arrested and face charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, extortion and theft.
In the same month, a businessman was kidnapped during a robbery from a superette in Kuils River. He was kidnapped during a robbery at the store at which he worked. Cash, cigarettes, cellphones and Oka pipes were stolen, and customers were locked in a walk-in freezer.
The man was rescued afterwards, and 11 people were arrested. They face charges of business robbery and kidnapping for ransom.
Provincial community policing forum chairperson Fransina Lukas said extortion was an ongoing struggle for communities.
“It is affecting us because many projects to uplift our communities are being affected. As a result, we see stoppage or delay in the execution of these projects. We need development, we need progress,” she said.
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