A group of gangsters that kidnapped a South African kid from a playground during the weekend, decided to demand a ransom in Bitcoin. The family of the 13-year-old boy had to pay $123,000 (between 14 and 15 BTC) according to the local police.
Cryptocurrency Gangsters Demand Ransom in BTC
As reported by The Guardian on May the 22nd, a kid has been kidnaped in the town of Witbank while playing with two other friends. Some witnesses said that the teenager was dragged in and driven away in a Toyota Corolla.
Leonard Hlathi, the police spokesman, said:
“We are investigating a case of kidnapping that happened on Sunday in Witbank. There was a demand that was made that the parents should deposit cash in bitcoins.”
The kidnappers were asking for the payment to be processed in Bitcoin, but the reality is that for the family Bitcoin was not known as a currency.
“They don’t even know what this bitcoin is. They’re devastated and you can see they’re worried and asking themselves, ‘where’s our son?’” explained Mr. Hlathi.
Plz help find Katlego Marite aged 13.He was kidnapped Sunday, around 15h00 in Tasbet Park Ex1,Witbank, Mpumalanga, by a silver/Grey Toyota Corolla around my friends house well known to most as "Nkandla".
Kindly call 0607388298
Please RT #countryDuty pic.twitter.com/mukQo0Mjw7— B Suarez 🥂🥂🥂 (@Bonny_suarez) May 22, 2018
The note informs to the family that they expect that they will not involve the police and that they will be monitoring all the communications and movements. Moreover, they left the BTC address written so the family could process the information.
The police was not able to provide more information due to the fact that the situation is being under investigation.
At the moment the BTC address has received just one BTC, and it could be receiving the remaining in the next days.
