The police said a two-year-old child was kidnapped last Thursday at a shopping mall in Umhlanga. It is believed the child had gone shopping with his grandmother and was taken from a trolley where she had placed him.

The police said the frantic grandmother managed to spot and rescue her grandson from the alleged kidnapper before he could escape. She reported the man to the mall management who then contacted the police.

Police spokesperson Jay Naicker said: “Police officers from Durban north arrived at the scene and viewed the CCTV footage at the mall. The suspect was immediately identified as a security guard who was on duty at the mall and he was promptly arrested.”

Naicker said the motive for the crime was not yet clear, but police were investigating.

Police appealed to parents and guardians of children to be vigilant in public areas, especially during the festive season.

Eyewitness News