Couple detained for fake kidnapping

Police detained a couple to assist in the investigation on a 19-year-old girl who claimed to have been kidnapped to get money from her parents.

The youth and her 28-year-old boyfriend were detained in front of a bank at Jalan Ria, here at 10.45pm Thursday.

Timur Laut District Police chief, ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said the girl was said to have gone missing after leaving her family home in Paya Terubung, here at 3pm on Wednesday.

"A man contacted her elder brother and father Thursday afternoon and claimed to have kidnapped the girl and demanding a ransom of RM5,000 for the release of the girl," he said when contacted here yesterday.

He said the man also threatened to injure the girl if they reported to the police.

Mior Faridalatrash said the girl's family made a police report Thursday night and acting on the report, police managed to track down the couple at Jalan Ria.