The suspect is still at large and the police are hunting him down after he attempted to kidnap a Singaporean family in the wee hours of Sunday morning in Johor.
Singaporean family held at gunpoint: The attempt
According to Datuk Amer Awal, Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm, the suspect was armed as he drove off in the Nissan Sunny, along with the family in it. He hijacked the car while 37-year-old Rita Zahara was buying fruits along the Jalan Susur Larkin roadside past midnight.
Rita had left her 19-year-old sister, two kids aged six and 11 respectively and her maid in the vehicle when it was car-jacked. It was reported that the kidnapper peered into the car window and knocked on the glass and someone within the vehicle opened the lock.
Almost immediately the armed kidnapper hopped in to the driver’s seat and drove off. He also threatened the passengers with an object that resembled a gun.
Where is my car?
As soon as Rita saw that her car was not where she left it, she called her sister’s mobile number and to her horror, the kidnapper picked up her call and demanded a sum of money-- if she wanted to see her family alive or returned.
The negotiations went on for several hours and in the end—thankfully the family was not harmed. The passengers in the car were released in a residential area in Ulu Tiram and the suspect took off in the car and some valuables in it worth over S$80,000.
Singaporean family home and safe!
Rita has come home and is safe. She posted on her Facebook page: "It was a terrible ordeal. A nightmare for any mum to have her kids and loved ones kidnapped and held at gun-point. I cannot say anything more. I'm too tired now. Just thank you for your well wishes.”
No one wishes for this to happen. But we have to be even more vigilant that we have been before. Especially, when we venture out of our safety zone.
Teach your kids to stay safe. Try not to leave your kids in the car while you are not in it. And, tell them to never open the door to strangers. This case had a happy ending to it but not everyone can claim to be so lucky.
Related: Teach your child about stranger safety