Officers also recovered bank cards used to fraudulently withdraw funds from the victim's accounts.
Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
Swift police action has led to the rescue of a kidnapped victim, the arrest of three suspects, and the recovery of a hijacked vehicle, stolen property and an unlicensed firearm in Ekurhuleni.
The kidnapped victim was rescued on Wednesday, 08 July 2026, following an operation by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Community Liaison Unit (CLU), in collaboration with the South African Police Service (Saps).
Kidnapping
EMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Kelebogile Thepa said officers also recovered bank cards used to fraudulently withdraw funds from the victim’s accounts.
“At approximately 11am, officers responded to a reported kidnapping between Greenstone and London Road. Acting on coordinates received from a tracking company, members recovered the victim’s vehicle in Alexandra Township, while the search for the victim continued.
“Working closely with a banking-sector kidnapping response team, investigators established that the suspects were using the victim’s bank accounts to make fraudulent purchases at a clothing store in Alexandra, at the shopping Mall,” Thepa said.
Arrest
Officers immediately proceeded to the scene, where they arrested two suspects who were found conducting transactions, totalling approximately R45 000, using the victim’s cellular phone.
Thepa said the victim’s hijacked vehicle keys were also found in the suspects’ possession.
“A brief interrogation led Officers to a residence on Thoko Nomgoma Street in East Bank. A search of the premises resulted in the arrest of a third suspect. Officers recovered several boxes of expensive footwear, clothing and other items believed to have been purchased using the victim’s stolen funds.”
Court appearance
Thepa added that during the search, officers also recovered an unlicensed black Norinco firearm with a defaced serial number and ammunition.
“Approximately 20 minutes later, the kidnapped victim was found unharmed at a garage in the Lombardy area.
“The three suspects, in their early twenties, were detained at Alexandra Police Station and will face charges of kidnapping, hijacking, extortion, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition,” Thepa said.
They are expected to appear before the relevant Magistrate’s Court soon.
