Free State police are searching for four men who kidnapped a man and robbed him of R12,700 in Odendaalsrus this week.

The men impersonated police officers to gain entry into the victim’s home. Provincial police spokesperson Capt Stephen Thakeng said the incident happened on Tuesday. He said the suspects arrived at the victim’s home in a white Ford and accused him of theft.

“He was talking to them behind a locked burglar gate and they told him there was a laptop stolen by him from the farm where a white female was raped and stabbed,” said Thakeng.

“One of them took out an appointment certificate card with a photo of a police officer. He then opened the door and told him he was under arrest for possession of the stolen property. He was instructed to come with them to point out where he sold the laptop.”

Thakeng said the men instructed the 34-year-old self-employed victim to take his ID and cellphone with him.

“They drove with him in the direction of Allanridge and made a U-turn towards the direction of Welkom and when they reached Number 5 Tshepong mine hostel, they made another U-turn towards the Wesselsbron direction,” said Thakeng.

“The person sitting next to him told him that they must talk since he could see the victim is a good man. The victim told him he can afford R1,500.

“They parked beside the road under a tree and asked him to open his Capitec cellphone (banking) application to see how much he has in the account. The driver took the cellphone and transferred R12,700 cash to another person and deleted the transaction and gave the cellphone back to the victim.”

He said the men then dropped the victim in the Odendaalsrus CBD.

“The four men drove off in the direction of Welkom,” said Thakeng.

“He went straight to Odendaalsrus police station and a case of kidnapping and extortion was registered.”

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