Five people have been arrested after a brutal kidnapping in Auckland on Thursday night. Two women were assaulted before being forced into the boot of a stolen car and driven away.
Four teenagers are among the suspects, who face charges including kidnapping, aggravated robbery, unlawful interference of motor vehicle and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
The incident started on Bowen Ave in central Auckland around 10pm, when the victims caught the five offenders allegedly trying to break into their car.
The two women were then assaulted and forced into the boot of a stolen Mazda Demio vehicle before being driven to south Auckland.
"Unaware of the earlier kidnapping or the vehicle having been stolen, a Counties Manukau police unit has observed the vehicle travelling in convoy with another car and attempted to stop them," says Auckland City Police Detective Inspector Scott Beard.
"Both vehicles failed to stop. The stolen Mazda Demio continued onto the Southern Motorway and then exited at Ramarama and drove off the side of a bridge, where the vehicle went down an approximately five-metre bank."
The two victims suffered moderate injuries and were taken to Middlemore Hospital.
Three offenders were caught at the scene and taken into custody, while the other two were found at an address in Manurewa.
Four of the five people, aged between 14 and 20 years old, have been charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, unlawful interference of motor vehicle, and unlawful taking a motor vehicle.
In addition, a 15-year-old boy faces also faces charges of dangerous driving causing injury. A 13-year-old girl will be referred to Youth Aid.
They will be appearing in the Auckland Youth Court on Saturday.
Newshub.
