After an intensive two-day manhunt, a nine day old baby who was allegedly kidnapped from a Bellville shopping centre has been found unharmed, and a 37-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The infant was found on Monday 30 June, at an address in Honolulu Street, Tafelsig. The suspected kidnapper was arrested at the same location and is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrates’ Court on kidnapping charges.
The ordeal began on Saturday 28 June, when the baby’s mother visited a local shopping complex in Bellville with her newborn baby. According to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, the mother became nauseous and had to use the bathroom facilities, leaving her baby in the care of a woman who had accompanied her.
“On her return, the person of interest and baby were missing,” Swartbooi explained. The distraught mother immediately reported the incident to Bellville SAPS, prompting an urgent investigation.
The Bellville Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit took the lead in the investigation, opening a case of kidnapping. The probe involved multiple specialized units, including Provincial Organised Crime: Anti Kidnapping Investigation, Crime Intelligence, and the Bellville FCS Unit, who worked tirelessly around the clock, said Swartbooi.
“Owing to the meticulous investigation the team was led to an address in Honolulu Street in Tafelsig,” police confirmed in a statement.
The infant has been safely reunited with the family.
