Wellington kidnapping: police not ruling out mistaken identity or opportunism

Thursday, 24 September 2020

The random incident happened to a couple late in August.

A man who was kidnapped and assaulted by two men he didn't know may have been a victim of mistaken identity or opportunism, police say.

The victim and his girlfriend were sitting in a vehicle in a carpark on Shelley Bay Rd, overlooking the waterfront, near Chocolate Fish Cafe around 8.30pm on August 25, when the offenders pulled up behind them.

The man, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat with his door open, was then pulled from the car and dragged into the offenders’ vehicle, before being punched in the face.

The alleged offenders, described as two Māori men, one 1.8m tall, around 30 years old with a tattoo under his eye, and another younger male of slim build, demanded money – cash – and electronic devices, and to know where he lived.

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The kidnapping victim runs for help after escaping the vehicle.

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The pair then approached the car again, attempting to get the victim’s girlfriend, who quickly drove away.

Detective Sergeant Steve Wescott said police are not ruling out whether the kidnapping was mistaken identity or whether the offenders were being opportunistic.

After managing to escape, the victim’s girlfriend was followed by the vehicle, a dark-coloured sedan, until she drove into the KFC and Mobil Kilbirnie car park in search for help.

The victim was kidnapped in a carpark near the Chocolate Fish Cafe in Shelley Bay last month.

Inside the car during the chase, the offenders were demanding the victim call his girlfriend.

CCTV footage released by police on Wednesday night shows the moment the woman stopped and the offenders pulled up behind, blocking her car, before getting out and approaching her.

The victim then saw his chance to escape from the car and sprinted off, into a nearby Pak n Save to get help.

With her doors locked and the male victim escaping, the offenders became distracted before quickly searching for him, and then leaving the scene abruptly.

Detective Sergeant Wescott said the entire ordeal, which lasted about 15 minutes, was “extremely traumatic” for the couple and is urging anyone who may have information to come forward.

In particular, anyone who remembers seeing the sedan and the victims’ car, a black BMW hatchback, in the vicinity of Shelly Bay Road, Miramar Avenue, Cobham Drive, Troy Street, Rongotai Road, Evans Bay Parade and Onepu Road between 8pm and 8.45pm or has dash camera or CCTV footage that may have captured them.

Anyone with information is asked to call police via 105 and quote file number 200825/5640.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.