Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-jl) -- Peruvian police officers rescued a young woman from the hands of kidnappers in the Limean district of Miraflores yesterday.

The kidnappers used the 'secuestro al paso' technique, a method where victims are momentarily kidnapped and robbed, and sometimes raped and killed.

The kidnappers were under the guise of a 'colectivo' taxi that operated a route along Avenida Arequipa in Miraflores and San Isidro. The woman, identified as Karim Bazan Cruz, boarded the colectivo-taxi with 4 kidnappers, 1 woman and 3 men, already aboard and posing as passengers.

According to Bazan Cruz, after driving a few blocks the female criminal turned to Cruz and said "don't move unless you want it to be worse," and proceeded to take her money and credit cards with all corresponding pin numbers and codes.

The kidnappers then traveled down Bajada Balta road where another member of the kidnapping ring was waiting in a different car.

Fortunately, Peruvian authorities were on the trail of the kidnappers and moved in on them as they were exchanging vehicles.

Police arrested all 5 subjects and booked them into a nearby police station.

Amid tears and cries, the female suspect denied the charges telling authorities she was innocent and that she was simply accompanying her husband, the driver of the car, while he was on-duty.

Her husband however denied the version and admitted her involvement to authorities.