Hartbeespoort dam Bitcoin kidnapping

Photo: Olaf Olgiati / Flickr

Hartbeespoort kidnapping: Top cop fails with attempted ‘Bitcoin heist’

A group of kidnapping suspects, including a crime intelligence veteran, fell short in their bid to secure a Bitcoin ransom worth ‘millions’.

Hartbeespoort dam Bitcoin kidnapping

Photo: Olaf Olgiati / Flickr

A leading crime intelligence officer in South Africa has been nabbed for his role in a so-called ‘Bitcoin heist’ on Monday. He was part of a gang that orchestrated a kidnapping near the Hartbeespoort Dam in North West, and demanded a hefty ransom – all to be paid in the form of the popular cryptocurrency.

Hartbeespoort ‘Bitcoin heist’ hits the skids

As the way we use money continues to evolve, so do criminal techniques. Bitcoin has very much conquered the digital currency market, and many criminal organisations see this method as the most efficient way to have their demands met.

However, the plan has fallen short in Hartbeespoort. Three suspects have been arrested, and their prized possessions have been seized. A brief police statement was issued earlier in the day, revealing the kidnappers’ police connections.

“Kidnapping victim rescued: Hartbeespoort Dam. Three suspects arrested on a small holding. Three vehicles seized, laptops and several cellphones. The kidnappers demanded ransom of millions of bitcoins. One of the arrested men is a crime intelligence operative.”

Meanwhile, police in Gauteng have been busy…

Over the weekend, a multi-disciplinary team of law enforcement officers seized eight suspected stolen trailers and vehicle parts linked to at least 15 cases of hijacking and/or theft, some dating as far back as December 2016, and a Toyota Venture whose engine was found to have been tampered with. One suspect was arrested in Ivory Park on Friday.

“A total of nine hundred and seventy-six (976) suspects were nabbed in operations conducted across all districts over the weekend. In Johannesburg District, one hundred and eighteen (118) people were arrested. Out of these arrests, fifty-two (52) were found driving while under the influence of alcohol.”

“Two popular Soweto liquor outlets were closed down and liquor confiscated for contravening lockdown regulations. Other suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of drugs, illegal gambling, assault, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, theft, and negligent driving.”

SAPS statement