POLICE FOIL “KIDNAP EXPRESS” GANG

A total of six people have been arrested, one aged just 14 and another 17.
Four of the criminals are Spanish, one is from Guinea and the other the Dominican Republic.
The gang has been under close Guardia Civil surveillance for the past two weeks and is believed to be responsible for at least three armed robberies in Calvia and Palma.

The latest was carried out on Thursday night in Costa d'en Blanes.
Three members of the gang wearing ski masks, knocked on the door of a luxury villa owned by a middle-aged couple.
The wife opened the door, only to be shoved out of the way and the heavily armed gang stormed into the house ordering the husband to open the safe as they threatened him with a knife and a pistol.

Fortunately the alarm went off and the gang fled.
On Friday, the Guardia Civil with the full co-operation of Local and National police forces stepped up their operation to catch the armed gang which is believed to have also carried out armed robberies in calle Joan Miro and at a hotel in Porto Pi where the receptionist was threatened.

In the calle Joan Miro heist, the gang is said to have waited for a local businessman to have cashed up and, on leaving, jumped him as he got into his car and again threatened him at gun point as he handed over 2'800 euros.

According to police sources, on Saturday night the gang was en route to carry out an “express kidnap” in Palma. “Express kidnapping” is very common in Mexico and Argentina, as yet there have only been a few cases in Spain near Valencia.
The idea is to hold the kidnap victim inside their home while the family is contacted and told to come up with the ransom money within a very slim time frame, two hours for example, and not to contact the police or the victim will be killed.

The idea is that the ransom is paid as quickly as possible and that the armed kidnappers have plenty of time to get away while the police are informed and then respond.

The 14-year-old had escaped from the Es Pinaret child detention centre while all of the gang have criminal records. They now face charges of illegal possession of arms and ammunition, assault, kidnapping, armed robbery and forgery. In the property where the gang was arrested police found weapons, ski masks, rubber gloves, cash and other items believed to have been used by the armed kidnappers.

Yesterday, police chiefs praised the security forces for having swiftly located and dismantled the gang.