PRETORIA – The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) General Fannie Masemola has commended the National Task Team responsible for investigating and addressing organised criminal syndicates involved in Kidnappings for ransom after a three-year-old girl was reunited with her family safe and unharmed.
The girl was kidnapped last Thursday at a school in Springs by a woman who pretended to be the little girls child minder. Following her kidnapping, her alleged kidnappers had demanded millions of rands for her safe return.
At about 20:00 on Monday evening, the Task Team led a multidisciplinary team comprising of various disciplines in the SAPS including the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Gauteng Traffic Police, Netcare 911 and various security companies to an area near East Gate Mall where ransom money was meant to have been paid to secure the safe return of the little girl.
As soon as the suspects arrived to collect the ransom money, the team swooped in on the four suspects and rescued the little girl.
The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has commended the team for their hard work and dedication.
“Well done to the team who have ensured the safe return of the little girl, well and alive. The team’s sleepless nights has definitely paid off. We also thank our stakeholders for playing their part in ensuring that together we close in on these suspects and apprehend those who are behind this crime. This should definitely serve as a deterrent to others who are involved in such criminality. We are surely closing in on these syndicates, their days are indeed numbered”, said General Fannie Masemola.
At the scene, police also seized and recovered two unlicensed firearms as well as two vehicles.
The South African Police Service takes this opportunity to encourage parents to provide full names and details of the next of kin or guardians of their children at schools to ensure strangers do not have easy access to their children.
Source: South African Police Service