However, Free State police say investigators have information that still needs to be verified. The man, 73, and his wife, 67, were ambushed by armed men who gained entry to their home in Bophelong by forcing open a sliding door.

Spokesperson Sgt Mahlomola Kareli said the police suspect the kidnapping was planned and the elderly couple was targeted.

Police believe the attack is not linked to a broader criminal trend. “In Bloemfontein we do not get such cases frequently, but we do suspect that someone else knew about (them) having a certain substantial amount of money which is why we suspect that it was planned, because they went straight to the elderly couple’s house.”

The victims were kidnapped shortly after midnight on Sunday and released on Tuesday (4/8) morning. Kareli said it was unusual that the suspects drove around Bloemfontein in the victims’ vehicle with the couple inside.

They took them to Botshabelo where they were allegedly locked into a shack. “The victims say that the suspects started to transfer money from their accounts into accounts belonging to the suspects and they were requested to provide the pins.”

In the early hours of Tuesday, the suspects drove the victims back to their home before abandoning them in their driveway. Police are still trying to establish whether the suspects used another vehicle to flee the scene. 

The police could not reveal the amount that was allegedly transferred from the victims’ account for safety reasons. “Part of our investigation is that we are working with banks so that we can establish whose account was used in terms of receiving the money that was transferred.”

The police remain confident about the case. “We are confident in our systems. We are confident in our crime intelligence, as well as our tracing teams here in Mangaung that are working hand in hand with crime intelligence. So, the entire investigating team is progressing well.”

OFM News/Siyakholwa Mbatyazwa sm

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