The police in Gauteng have arrested a man, his wife and girlfriend, following the kidnapping of a Midrand businessman two weeks ago.
According to the police, the trio were nabbed with two others, bringing the total number of suspects to five.
"Following the businessman’s kidnapping, the suspects demanded ransom payment from the family and business associates of the victim.
“The suspects were arrested at residential properties between Pretoria and Johannesburg," said SAPS national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
She said a Toyota Corolla and Toyota Quantum, multiple cellphones and sim cards were also seized.
Mathe said the police were working around the clock to weed out kidnapping syndicates targeting businessmen in the province.
Mathe says more than 124 suspects, implicated in kidnappings across Gauteng and surrounding areas, have been arrested. She added that at least 81 are still in police custody.
In the most recent quarterly crime stats, which were released in December last year for the period July to September 2022, the statistics showed that 26 policing stations in Gauteng accounted for the Top 30 kidnapping cases in the country.
The top three police stations were Vosloorus, Joburg Central and Tembisa, which recorded over 50 kidnapping cases between July to September 2022.
Mathe said the task team received the 2021/2022 Crime Intelligence Team of the Year award for their role in preventing, combating, investigating and apprehending those that are behind kidnappings especially where ransom demands are being made in the country.
The award was handed out at this year's National Excellence Awards hosted in Limpopo.
Last week, four people were arrested in Fordsburg after they allegedly lured an Indian businessman to South Africa and then demanded ransom money from his family back home.
IOL