Kidnappers are getting careless

THE EDITOR: Finally they have fooled their own selves. Having pulled the wool over the public’s eyes with their kidnapping spree again they have become so careless that we can see why and how Trinidad got its rating with the kidnapping capitals of the world. The case of the man who kidnapped himself and went to Tobago did not enlighten the public to the real reason why the solving of this crime is so difficult. It also did not enlighten the public to the real reason why this crime is so easily used as a weapon of the Opposition. We also saw several cases where weekends with lovers were covered up with allegations of kidnapping when the females involved were confronted by their parents and or relatives.

What about those siblings and spouses who tried to obtain extra funding for their private use by claiming to be kidnapped and pleading that their families pay the ransom even if with help from the public to save their lives. The clumsiness of some of these attempts resulted in their detection. Now there is the situation where the alleged kidnapped victim was caught trying to extort a fee for his silence from his abductors. Thanks to one of the alleged kidnappers who refused to pay up but instead arranged a sting with the police, there is now one less “kidnapping” on the records. What we now have is proof one of the modus operandi use to inflate the kidnapping statistics.

Should we believe that the kidnappers go through all that risk and trouble to pay the victim from their own pockets? If the victim has to be paid then it is possible that maybe someone or some group (who are seeking to benefit from the crime situation) could be paying for the crime and it is also possible that to date they have not yet been detected. Indeed many undetected “staged kidnappings” could have been done with co-operation between the victims, the family of the victim and the “kidnappers.” When the Anti-Kidnapping Squad catches the “kidnappers” who were involved in a “staged kidnapping” it is hardly likely that the victims who “miraculously escaped” or were “released in exchange for the agreed ransom” and/or the families of these victims identify the “kidnappers.”

“Staged kidnappings” have easily and quickly distorted our crime statistics, as they are difficult to prosecute or prevent successfully. The truth remains: “There is honour among thieves!” but once in a while greed gets the better of one of the parties and then the plot unfolds. As the “producers of kidnappings” would not like to risk having the beans spilled on the operation and be identified, many alleged kidnappers should now be afraid since “dead men tell no tales.” The final payment for a blackmailer is normally a bullet! Any increase in the murder rate would also help their cause. After a much welcome break in the kidnappings, we are again seeing an upsurge. This time however the perpetrators are getting careless and the Anti-Kidnapping Squad has had some valuable insight into “staged kidnappings.” The producers of the kidnapping spree are getting careless and so should quit now to avoid further embarrassment to themselves and Trinidad and Tobago.

KENNY SINGH
Woodbrook