TASK FORMED TO TACKLE KIDNAPPINGS AND RANSOM RISE

Reported by: Eric English
Email: eenglish@abc15.com

Last Update: 7:26 pm


County Attorney Andrew Thomas points to latest numbers... Click the play button on the video window to the see the story

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A new crime-fighting task force is now in place to help curb kidnappings related to illegal immigration.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says kidnapping cases involving ransom have increased more than 300 percent since 2004.

Already this year, Valley police have seen 204 cases in which a victim was kidnapped and held for ransom.

"We're seeing this spike in violence, in particular, kidnappings, so this is the next wave of challenges we face as we try to deal with illegal immigration, and we gotta break up these gangs and send these guys away to prison for a very long time," County Attorney Andrew Thomas said during a press conference Sunday.

The task force includes three special attorneys who will work closely with the police to prosecute violent kidnappings.