Our correspondent Deng Hui and Chen Yong report from Chenzhou:
Yan Biguang and his wife, who had just arrived in Chenzhou, were kidnapped by six fake policemen to a hotel on the outskirts of the city. During this time, Yan's wife Liu Hongyan was released to raise 5000 yuan as "bail."
At a loss for what to do, Liu Hongyan sought help from the Chenzhou police officers, asking them to "show mercy." After questioning, the police discovered that this was a gang impersonating police officers to kidnap and extort money. Through a series of actions, the police successfully rescued Yan Biguang and arrested the six fake policemen.
The Fake Policemen Kidnapped an Out-of-Town Couple
At around 22:00 on August 30th, a woman rushed into the Bailudong Police Station in panic, asking the police to let her husband off. The police were very puzzled, but after questioning, they found something suspicious. The woman named Liu Hongyan recounted that at around 16:00 on the 30th, several policemen accused her and her husband of being involved in the purchase of stolen goods and took them from their scrap store in Caojia Ping onto a police car. They were then taken to a hotel on the outskirts of the city for separate questioning and threats.
Liu Hongyan said that these policemen required her to bring 5000 yuan to bail out her husband. However, since Liu Hongyan and her family had only arrived in Chenzhou from another place on August 28th, this amount was astronomical for her. In this situation, Liu Hongyan could only turn to the local police and ask them to release her husband.
Suspects Arrested at the Money Handover Location
After analysis by the Bailudong Police Station officers, they determined that this was a typical case of impersonation of police officers for extortion. Therefore, the officers suggested that Liu Hongyan keep the suspects calm and notify them when everything was ready for the handover.
At 1:00 AM on August 31st, everything was prepared, and the police officers split into two civilian vehicles and headed to the location for the handover. Near the Beihu District Public Security Bureau, the police spotted a police car. After identification by Liu Hongyan, the police quickly moved forward and controlled three people inside the vehicle—Kuang Junqiang and others.
Through intense questioning of these three suspects, the police learned that the hostage was in a guesthouse in the suburbs, guarded by two accomplices. The police immediately went to the guesthouse, rescued the hostage Yan Biguang, and brought the suspects Chen Liqiang and Li Jiangwang back to the police station. After interrogation, both confessed to the facts of kidnapping and extortion. Subsequently, another member of the gang was also captured.
All Six Have Been Criminally Detained, Previous Crimes Not Ruled Out
Through interrogation, the suspects admitted that their police car was modified from a JAC business van at an auto repair shop beside National Highway 107, and the police equipment was purchased from a store selling security supplies within the city.
The police introduced that Zhang Mou, who privately modified the police car, and Xiao Mou, owner of the security supply store, will be severely punished according to the situation. Currently, Kuang Junqiang, Cao Jianzhi, and the other five individuals are suspected of impersonating military or police personnel to commit robbery, with particularly heinous circumstances, potentially facing a prison sentence of more than three years. At present, all six have been criminally detained by the Suchuan Public Security Bureau.
Through investigation, it was found that Chen Liqiang was sentenced to six years in prison for robbery in 2005, later receiving a reduced sentence due to good behavior, but unexpectedly returned to crime after release. Moreover, the ringleader Kuang Junqiang has two previous convictions, one for illegal detention in 2004 and another for intentional injury in 2008. Due to the sophistication and clear division of labor within the group, it cannot be ruled out that they may have committed multiple crimes prior to this.