The 17-year-old girl reported that was kidnapped yesterday rescued by the Durban-based security company on Sunday morning using the drone and arrested the kidnapper.
Reaction Unit South Africa(RUSA) confirmed that its members used the drone during a search and rescue operation for the kidnapped teenage girl.
The statement said members of Reaction Unit South Africa(RUSA) working since 01:00 am (Sunday) tracked down a kidnapped seventeen (17) year old high school student & arrested a 30 year male suspect identified by the RUSA Drone Pilot.
RUSA mentioned that the family of the kidnapped girl informed them that the kidnappers were demanding a R10 000 ransom for the release of the victim, as security company began the search for the girl after they were told about her ordeal but were disturbed by rain.
"The family of the victim made contact with the RUSA Headquarters reporting that a ransom demand of R10 000 was made by an unknown male after the female was last seen heading to a local supermarket to purchase food. Reaction Officers were informed eight (8) hours later after the family unsuccessfully searched for the grade eleven (11) student.
Reaction Officers circulated the information & image of the victim and received multiple leads including information of her being forced into a home in Blackburn -KZN. All information was followed up & this morning (Sunday) a drone was activated when rain subsided to keep observation in a rural area inaccessible by vehicles due heavy rains last night," continued RUSA.
RUSA stated that its Drone Unit team noticed suspicious in the area and that led its members to raid the informal settlement on foot and that helped them to apprehend the suspect and rescue the girl.
"The Drone Pilot (D197) identified suspicious activities & officers headed to the location and abandoned their vehicles. They walked to the area and noticed a man flee the informal home. Reaction Officers located the man and placed him under arrest. The victim's mobile phone was found in his bedroom. The kidnapped female was located on her knees behind a door in a locked room.
"The woman was freed & informed officers that she was kidnapped by the trolley assistance known to her and based at a local supermarket. She was kept against her will at gunpoint & repeatedly sexually assaulted while the kidnapper had attempted to extort R10 000 from her family. The woman further informed officers that she had not seen the firearm but felt him place the weapon against her back and threatened to kill her throughout the night.
The suspect was handed over to the South African Police Services(SAPS)," RUSA concluded.