The kidnapping case of a man and a woman atOcean King Restaurantin Sandakan three days ago is likely masterminded by 'insiders', said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman.

He said the suspected 'insiders' had conspired to give information about the targets and that the matter was being investigated.

"Police received information about an abduction occurring in Sabah and Sandakan was one of the locations.

"The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) led by Datuk (Abdul) Rashid Harun has been carrying out Integrated Operations in Sandakan focussing on hot spots and areasharbouringillegal immigrants.

Unfortunately, the abduction occurred in an unanticipated area," he said in a statement via WhatsApp today.

He said the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and ESScom) were intensifying security measures so that such abductions do not recur.

Jalaluddin also confirmed that both the victims' families received phone calls from a party claiming to be the kidnappers demanding a high ransom that cannot be revealed to the public.

He said that untilnow boththe families had also refused to lodge police reports despitebeing advisedby the police to do so.

He also denied allegations that the families were threatened not to involve the police to secure their release.

The two kidnap victims were reported safe andwerenow at one of the islands in the southern Philippines, he added.

On Thursday, four gunmen stormed the Ocean King restaurant and kidnapped the man and the woman in the presence of about 100 customers, including children.

Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, who is the sister-in-law of the restaurant manager, was one of those kidnapped in the 7.45pmincident. The other victim was Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, from Sarawak, who worked as an electrical consultant in Cambodia.