A British millionaire, Colin Armstrong, and his girlfriend Katherine Paola Santos were kidnapped from their villa in Los Rios, Ecuador, by a gang of 15 armed men on Saturday morning. Mr Armstrong was last seen being forced into the back of his own BMW, which was later found abandoned on the road.
After four days, Mr Armstrong was rescued from the feared Los Tiguerones gang, who have been linked to a violent Mexican cartel that forces recruits to eat raw human hearts. Nine suspects have been arrested, although the police have not officially confirmed whether they belong to Los Tiguerones.
Timeline of Colin Armstrong’s Kidnap:
Saturday Morning
On Saturday morning, Colin Armstrong, a prominent businessman, and his girlfriend, Katherine Paola Santos, were kidnapped from a farm near Guayaquil at 2.45 am.
Saturday Afternoon
Later in the day, footage emerged of Ms Santos having an explosive device removed by a bomb disposal team.
Sunday and Monday
Information on the events of Sunday and Monday is currently unknown.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, Ms Santos was interviewed by the police regarding her involvement in the scam.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa, Ecuador’s police chief, tweeted that Mr Armstrong had been found on a road near Manabi. Following his rescue, police released a picture of Mr Armstrong flanked by two officers. Cmr Correa wrote: ‘Our units released citizen Colin A., kidnapped a few days ago in Los Rios. At the moment, he is safe and healthy.’
Nine people were arrested in connection with the kidnap. The unknown assailants are believed to have transported Mr Armstrong from the premises of his ranch estate, known as the Rancho Rodeo Grande, while disguised as police officers.
Footage posted online shows how the abductors left a blood-stained trail behind after ransacking the ranch. A woman inside the farm filmed shots of broken plates on the floor. She then walks into one of the bedrooms, where the bedsheets are stained with blood.
Mr Armstrong’s son, Nick Armstrong, had flown to Ecuador to help with the search. The pair run the 500-acre family estate in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Mr Armstrong is also the head of the British Consulate in Guayaquil, just south of Los Rios.
Mr Armstrong founded Agripac, a large firm that produces, distributes and sells agricultural and industrial supplies. The owner of the Tupgill Park Estate in Yorkshire also received an OBE and CMG in 2011 for services to the British Monarchy.
This is a developing news story, and more updates will follow soon.
