Police: Kidnappers wanted wife

POLICE are working on the theory that the kidnappers who have snatched 47-year-old Kelvin Moorley did not really intend to kidnap him, but his wife, Tara.

They base their theory on the fact that Tara Maharaj-Moorley is the sister of Balliram Maharaj, one of the owners of Arima Discount Mart warehouse, Carapo Main Road, Arima.  The country’s latest victim is the manager of that warehouse, police sources said. In fact, police said the four kidnappers had snatched both Moorley and his wife Thursday evening, but the latter managed to escape and so the snatchers held on to Moorley, father of two children. Police sources also said if the kidnappers decide to hold on to Moorley, they may use him to extort money out of his employers, in an effort to get something out of the kidnapping.

Moorley and his wife had returned to their Riverway Road, Arima home around 5.30 pm Thursday when the kidnappers struck. They were apparently lurking in the area, police sources told  Newsday. They bundled Moorley into a white vehicle and drove off with him. He has not been seen nor heard of since and up to late evening, the kidnappers had not made contact with the family, Moorley’s son-in-law Rishi Seeram and police said. After the kidnapping, a neighbour contacted the police and a party of officers headed by Sr Supt Gilbert Reyes, head of the Anti Kidnapping Squad and other members of the department, along with Cpl Samai of the Arima CID visited the scene and conducted investigations. At the Moorley home yesterday, Seeram said the family is in no position to pay any money. He also said that Tara and the entire family are traumatised, but are coping under the circumstances. Members of the AKS are continuing investigations.