Kidnap charges after police free men
The Age
Wednesday January 6, 2010
SEVEN people faced court last night after police rescued three alleged kidnap victims in early morning raids.Police arrested nine men and a woman yesterday over the New Year's Day abductions, which they say were sparked by a "dispute between two groups of people".After questioning, seven were remanded to face an out-of-sessions hearing at St Kilda Road police headquarters last night. They will face firearms and kidnapping charges.The court appearances come after two men, a 20-year-old from Epping and a 22-year-old from Hampton Park, were freed by armed police following a raid on a St Albans property.The two men were found in a large tin shed on the property, which is at the end of a court.Three men and a woman were arrested during the Crosby Court raid, while the two alleged hostages were taken to Western Hospital and treated for dehydration. Both were later released from the hospital.Police guarded the red-brick home for most of the day and a forensic team arrived early in the afternoon. The mother of some of those arrested pulled up at the taped-off home, and was taken away to speak to detectives in a car. She spent almost an hour with them and was released without charge.Police, alerted to the abductions by a concerned family member, tracked down the alleged kidnappers through telephone intercepts.This led to the arrest of one of the alleged kidnappers and a 57-year-old hostage from Epping was freed at about midnight. After that arrest, two cars were intercepted by police at 4am in Epping and five men were arrested in the possession of firearms.Police then moved on to Crosby Court where three men and a woman were arrested and taken in for questioning, while the rescued victims were taken to hospital for treatment.Detective Inspector Bernie Rankin said the hostages had sustained minor abrasions and experienced mental trauma. He said police were yet to determine the motive for the abductions. "The relationship and what led to the falling out are still being investigated," he said.A 29-year-old Thomastown man was later charged with three counts of kidnapping and two of being a prohibited person possessing a firearm.A 29-year-old St Albans man and 32-year-old North Shore man were questioned and released pending further inquiries.
© 2010 The Age