Students kidnapped by robbers driving an Audi

ARRESTS AS VICTIMS FORCED TO HAND OVER THOUSANDS OF POUNDS

ROBBERS have been kidnapping students in Manchester city centre in an Audi A6 before forcing them to withdraw cash and transfer thousands of pounds online.

Police have received four reports of innocent members of the public, some of them students new to the city, being lured into a high-end motor this week.

Some were forced to make online transfers of £3,000 from their bank accounts before being let out of the car, police said.

Others were driven to petrol stations, forced to withdraw cash, fill the car up with petrol, then get more cash out after midnight.

Yesterday, police foiled another robbery, discovering a 19-year-old kidnap victim inside a car matching the description of the dark Audi A6.

Officers in GMP’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit spotted the car while on patrol in the city centre in the early hours yesterday before giving chase. Officers stopped the car on Lloyd Street North. Inside the car, they discovered the victim, who had been picked up and driven away from the city centre. Four men - aged, 25, 23, 18 and 19 - were arrested on suspicion of robbery. Police then carried out raids on four homes in south Manchester. Officers found a ‘large quantity of ammunition.’

A fifth man, aged 29, was arrested on suspicion of possessing prohibited ammunition. All the men are in police custody for questioning.

All four victims were kidnapped in the city centre since Wednesday.

Det Con Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s City of Manchester team, said: “Innocent members of the public, some of them students new to Manchester, have been victims of tricksters who then kidnapped them and forced them to hand over their money.

“Last night, thanks to some excellent work by the TVIU, four people were arrested, during what we believe was another robbery. When a person is a victim of such robbery, they can be left feeling scared to go out and can lose trust in everyone.

“This week, we have many new students coming to live in Manchester, and it is disappointing that some of their first memories of our city is that they were victims of crime.

“I would like to reassure everyone that we are doing all that we can to prevent criminals from taking advantage, we have strong links with the universities and the councils and we have officers on dedicated patrols as part of the Student Safe campaign.”

It is disappointing that some of their first memories of our city is being victims of crime Det Con Natalie McDonald