WINNIPEG — Police say a 19-year-old man pretended to be a police officer as part of a bizarre plot to kidnap a child and hold him for ransom in a local hotel.
A man who knows the child’s family contacted the 14-year-old boy Saturday and told him he was a suspect in an assault investigation, Winnipeg police allege. The man convinced the boy he was a police officer and later produced a replica pellet handgun to back up his claim, police said.
“This individual is known to the family, known to the community and to some extent, trusted,” said Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen.
The man allegedly brought the boy to Ellice Avenue Hostel, took away his phone and told him to stay in the hotel room as an alternative to going to jail. Hotel staff said the two appeared normal and ordered pizza during their stay Saturday and Sunday. Staff also said they recognized Kanda from previous stays there.
The alleged kidnapper then returned to the boy’s home.
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“The suspect left an anonymous note for family members indicating that their son had been kidnapped and that he would be harmed if an undisclosed amount of money wasn’t provided,” police said in a news release Monday.
The family called police on Saturday and it didn’t take long for the plot to unravel after “numerous police resources” were called in.
Meanwhile, the boy left the hotel room, looking for help.
“He did leave the hotel room, where he made contact with an employee or staff there and made a call home,” Michalyshen said.
A suspect was arrested and boy safely returned to his family.
The bizarre case had even veteran members of the legal system shaking their heads.
“No person, defence council or Crown, has handled a case with all of these facts, all of these twists and turns, and these charges, absolutely not,” longtime Winnipeg defence lawyer Hymie Weinstein told Global News.
Harpreet Singh Kanda, 19, has been charged with:
- personating a peace officer,
- extortion,
- kidnapping using a firearm,
- possession of a weapon, and
- carrying a concealed weapon, prohibited device or ammunition.
Kanda has had no previous contact with police, the force said. He remains behind bars at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.
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