Phoenix still the kidnap capital of the country
January 3, 5:48 AM
Norfolk Crime Examiner Dave Gibson

On Saturday night, Phoenix police found a dozen illegal aliens being held for ransom in a house near 51st Avenue and Encanto. Many of them showed signs of torture.

The night before, it was Phoenix firefighters who were called to the same address to put out a shed fire, where some of the kidnapping victims were being held.

Phoenix police Lieutenant John White told reporters: “Interestingly enough some of the individuals were actually kept in the rear shed last night and because of the abuse they had been suffering they actually set fire to the shed. And we got word Phoenix fire responded and put out the fire, we still have to verify that but we do have a burnt shed out there."

The men who were holding the illegal aliens captive have all been taken into custody. No word yet on the kidnappers immigration status.

In recent years, Phoenix has become the kidnapping capital of the United States.

The Mexican drug cartels and human smuggling rings are behind nearly all of the kidnappings.

A few weeks ago, the Phoenix Police Department announced that as of Dec. 1, the city had experienced 302 kidnappings for the year. That is an average of 27 abductions each month.

In 2008, there 359 kidnappings recorded in Phoenix. However, police estimate the actual numbers to be closer to three times as high as the reported figures. Many victims fail to report such crimes, out of fear from further retribution from the notoriously violent cartels.

Illegal aliens often fall victim to the human smugglers they rely on to bring them into the U.S. Once here, the smugglers will contact their families in Mexico and threaten to kill their loved one unless a ransom is paid.

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