One o'clock.
"Om..."
A mobile phone vibrated.
In the bedroom, Luke groped around the pillow with his right hand for a while, then pressed the phone answer button, "Hello, I'm Luke."
"I'm Mary, I hope I didn't disturb your rest."
Luke yawned and asked, "I didn't even open my eyes, what do you think?"
"I'm sorry, but this next news should open your eyes.
The robbers called and asked the father of the hostage, Mr. Bruce Redman, to go to the designated place to deliver the gold within an hour. "
Luke cheered up, "Where is it?"
"On the Kalman Street flyover."
Luke asked back, "Can you determine the kidnapper's location based on the blackmail call?"
"Call time too short to pinpoint a specific location. However, the location of cell phone towers can be determined."
"I see, we will conduct surveillance in advance. In addition, you send me the recording of the robber's blackmail call." After Luke finished speaking, he hung up the phone.
finally come.
Luke began to contact the team members for surveillance and arrest. According to the kidnapper's phone recording, he asked that 5,000 ounces of gold be divided into six bags and transported to the overpass by car in advance, and only Bruce Redman was allowed to go. Personally tear the ticket directly.
Luke focused on two aspects of control. The first aspect was the place where the ransom was delivered, the Kalman Street overpass.
The second location is on Bruce Redman's way to the flyover.
The kidnapper’s purpose is very clear, to take away the gold, but the kidnapper’s words cannot be completely trusted. He can **** the gold anywhere, not necessarily at the trading place.
It is also very likely that Bruce Redman robbed the gold halfway to the transaction place in his car.
At half past one, the police convoy was ready.
Bruce Redman drove to the Cullman Avenue overpass where the transaction was held.
At this point in time, there are very few cars on the road, and you can’t even see a car for a long time.
But it also makes it difficult to track.
Following too closely and following for too long can easily be exposed.
Luke can only adopt a rotating tracking method. The police have to keep changing cars. Each car can only track for a period of time, and then drive away from other forks, and then change to another car to follow up.
At the same time, the control of the trading site is also in full swing. The trading site is located on the overpass of Kalman Street, and the surrounding area is very empty, which is not suitable for surveillance and arrest. Perhaps this is why the kidnappers chose this place as the trading site.
If it is daytime and there are people coming and going on the bridge, the police officers can pretend to be passersby to protect nearby.
But it was too eye-catching during this time period. As long as you are not stupid, you can see that there is a problem, and the kidnappers were scared away.
So, Luke can only think of other ways.
If you can get close to the overpass without being easily suspected, then you are a homeless person.
Although the United States is a developed country, there are so many homeless people who may appear in any place at any time. Even if the kidnappers are suspicious, they cannot conclude that the other party is the eyeliner of the police.
Because it is common sense for homeless people to appear near the overpass.
The second is drones.
Luke arranged for a small drone to conduct aerial reconnaissance, equipped with high-definition cameras and infrared imaging.
Luke and the other police officers were ambushing on the far sides of the overpass. In order to prevent people from escaping under the overpass, police officers were also arranged to guard under the overpass.
Although Luke has made detailed arrangements, he is still a little uneasy. This kind of arrest operation is more difficult.
Not only do you need to catch the kidnappers quickly and accurately so that they cannot contact their accomplices immediately, but you also need to pry open the kidnappers' mouths in time to find out the whereabouts of the hostages and prevent the robbers from tearing up their accomplices.
It is a test of the on-site commander's adaptability.
Luke and the deputy team were in charge of the specific command at the scene, and Reid was in the police station to provide them with police force and logistical support.
As a black Mercedes-Benz drove onto the overpass, everyone became nervous.
A black Mercedes-Benz was parked beside the flyover, and sitting in the cab of the car was Bruce Redman, who looked around from time to time through the glass of the car.
Although Luke couldn't see his expression, he could guess his mood at this time, and comforted him, "Mr. Redman, don't be nervous.
I have arranged police officers around to ensure your safety. "
On the east side of the overpass, in a secluded and sheltered corner, two homeless men were covered with worn-out blankets, looking at the Mercedes-Benz.
These two homeless men were selected by Rhett himself. They are both experts in the police department. They are good at marksmanship and good at fighting. As long as Luke gives an order, they will subdue the robbers as soon as possible.
Time passed by, Bruce Redman held the phone in his right hand, and waited anxiously.
Half an hour passed, the drone was out of power, so I replaced it with a new battery and took off again.
Xiao Hei rubbed his chin, "I feel something is wrong. Bruce Redman has been at the transaction location for so long, and the kidnapper has never shown up or called. Maybe things have changed."
Luke guessed, "We are waiting for the kidnapper, maybe the kidnapper is also watching around, no kidnapper is not afraid when trading ransom."
Trading the ransom is a test for the kidnappers, and it is also the most difficult part of the entire kidnapping case. They have to worry about the police setting up an ambush at the trading location, and they also have to worry about the police tampering with the ransom. They are likely to be more nervous than the police, no matter how careful they are Not too much.
"Jingle Bell…"
Bruce Redman's cell phone rang, he glanced down, it was the robber's cell phone number, pressed the answer button, "Hi, I'm Bruce Redman.
I've driven onto the Cullman Avenue overpass.
Where's my daughter? did you bring her "
"No, if there are no accidents, you should never see her again."
Bruce Redman worried, "What do you mean?
I brought gold, in the trunk of the car, five thousand ounces, not an ounce. "
"I mean, your daughter is going to die soon."
"Why are you doing this? I did exactly what you told me to do."
"No, you didn't, you called the police.
I know that there are police ambushing around the overpass, as long as I appear, I will be arrested by the police immediately.
I said not to call the police, you killed your daughter.
Say goodbye. "
"nonono, please don't do this, don't hurt my daughter." Bruce Redman broke out in a cold sweat, a little at a loss.
At this time, Luke also heard their conversation through the monitoring device, and hurriedly reminded through the headset, "Mr. Redman, the police have not exposed, he is defrauding you."
Luke's voice was calm and firm, "Listen, you have to hold back at this time, bite to death without calling the police.
Tell him that the gold is on the flyover, and ask him to bring your daughter to exchange for gold. "
Bruce Redman took a deep breath, followed Luke's instructions, and said word by word, "I didn't call the police.
And prepared 5,000 ounces of gold according to your order. I have followed the agreement, and I hope you will release my daughter as agreed. "
After a while, the kidnapper said again, "Do you really want to save your daughter?"
"Yes, otherwise, I wouldn't come in person."
"OK, then don't call the police, just do as I tell you, so that you can save your daughter."
"I'm not going to call the police, I've taken the gold to the Cullman Street overpass."
"It's not safe there, the delivery location has changed."
"where?"
"You drive forward, and I will tell you the new trading location in a while."
"I want to hear my daughter's voice and make sure she's safe."
"I can let you communicate with your daughter, but not now.
Remember, you are not qualified to negotiate conditions. "The kidnapper hung up the phone directly.
"Fuck!"
Bruce Redman was angry and annoyed, with his right hand resting on his forehead, and he sat on the car seat, feeling like he was about to collapse.
Luke's voice sounded in his headset, "Mr. Redman, calm down.
The more this is the case, the more you have to hold your breath. "
"Captain Li, what should I do now?"
"Follow what he said, and I will send someone to protect your safety. Drive the car slower, which will give the police more time to react."
"I see." Bruce Redman took a deep breath, and slowly started the car.
Inside a commercial vehicle.
Luke and the deputy sit in front of the monitor.
The deputy team took off the earphones and cursed, "This group of cunning bastards, all our arrangements have been cancelled."
At this time, Xiao Hei, who was standing aside, was in a complicated mood. It was a pity that the robber was not caught.
But thinking of what the deputy team had said to fool him before, I felt a little lucky.
The deputy team asked him to pretend to be a homeless man to participate in the arrest operation, and claimed that he had an opportunity to perform. Xiao Hei thought it over and refused. He did this kind of work a lot when he was an ordinary police detective.
Enough has been done.
Now it seems that this is a very wise decision.
Moreover, the mobile phone signal base station is a bit far from the Kalman Street overpass.
There are two possibilities. The first possibility is that the kidnapper who made the extortion call is not the same person who delivered the ransom.
The second possibility is that the kidnappers never thought of trading on the flyover.
The location of the base station is only a regional range. It can be checked in places with few people, but it will be very difficult to check in places with many people, and the citizens of Los Angeles may not cooperate.
At three o'clock in the morning, the kidnappers called again, informing Bruce Redman of his new trading location, Celtus Square.
Bruce Redman immediately drove to the square, also reducing the speed according to Luke's proposal.
But his location is not far from Kelters Square, a total of ten minutes' drive away, leaving little time for the police to control.
Fortunately, the police have been near Bruce Redman's car, not far from Celtus Square, and Luke immediately led his men to rush there.
The location of Kelters Square was relatively empty, and the police didn't dare to get too close. They still adopted the means of drone detection and homeless tracking, while other police officers squatted in a distant place.
Ten minutes later, Bruce Redman drove to Celtus Square.
He sat in the car for a while, his phone didn't ring, and there was no movement outside. Then he got out of the car to observe, but the surrounding was empty and there was no one in sight.
Another twenty minutes later, the kidnapper called again and changed the transaction location again.
Watching Bruce Redman drive away from Kelters Square, Jackson was a little worried, "Captain, will the kidnappers really find us, so they will frequently change the trading location."
The deputy team thought for a while and said, "Not necessarily, if the kidnappers really saw that the police were at the scene, they would never contact Bruce Redman again.
He frequently changes trading locations. This cautious approach shows that the kidnappers have real trading intentions.
The young man was a little patient, but only more than two hours had passed. The deputy team frowned, as if thinking of something,
"I remember a kidnapping case before, and the kidnapper gave a trading location to deliver the ransom at twelve o'clock in the morning.
But we waited until three o'clock in the morning, but we still didn't see the robbers.
At three o'clock in the morning, the robber called and changed the transaction location again.
We rushed to the new trading location, but the robbers still didn't come.
The next night, the robber called again and told us the new transaction time and place. We waited for another night, but the kidnapper still didn’t come.
On the third night, the kidnappers continued to make calls, saying that the transaction was at 1:00 am, and that the transaction was canceled at 2:00 am.
But at 4 o'clock in the morning, the transaction was proposed again. After going back and forth many times, the kidnappers actually appeared at the transaction location.
We finally caught the kidnappers.
The more you have to be patient at this time.
Whoever shows his feet first, and whoever gets impatient first, loses. "
At four o'clock in the morning, the kidnappers called again and revealed the new transaction location under the overpass on Kalman Street.
After going around for a while, I returned to the previous trading place, the difference is that it was changed to be under the flyover. I have to say that this is really annoying.
But just as the deputy team said, whoever is impatient or impatient at this time will lose.
Luke still carried out control in a calm and orderly manner.
At 4:20 in the morning, Bruce Redman drove to the bottom of the flyover, and the kidnappers called again, asking Bruce Redman to put the gold next to the stone pier under the flyover and leave immediately.
At the same time, they asked Bruce Redman not to call the police, but to go home and wait for news.
Will release his daughter within three days.
Bruce Redman agreed, and at the same time, he followed Luke's reminder and asked to talk to his daughter.
This time the kidnappers agreed.
"Dad, I'm Isha, I'm so scared, please help me...help..." The voice became smaller and smaller.
Bruce Redman shouted into the phone, "Isa, my baby, are you okay? Did they hurt you..."
"If you want to see your daughter again, just do as I tell you." Afterwards, the kidnapper hung up the phone directly.
After confirming that his daughter was still alive, Bruce Redman took a deep breath, adjusted his mentality, put six bags of gold next to the pier, and drove away.
Bruce Redman is gone, but the police are still watching around.
The two homeless men huddled in a corner near the overpass again. This time, in order to avoid being noticed by the kidnappers, they did not get too close, and secretly observed with binoculars.
Drones are still in the air for reconnaissance.
Before, Luke kept an eye out and reminded Bruce Redman to put the gold under the outermost pier.
In this way, the overpass has limited cover, and the police can also observe the situation around the gold through drones.
At 4:50 in the morning, a black Ford car slowly passed the overpass. Luke watched from a distance with binoculars and felt that something was wrong with the car, but the car didn't stop.
At five o'clock in the morning, the black Ford sedan circled under the overpass again and stopped.
Two black men got out of the car, carefully observed the surroundings, walked to the bridge pier, opened their backpacks for inspection, then put the backpacks containing gold into the trunk, and drove the car away quickly.
The deputy team laughed, "The fish has bitten the hook."
Jackson's tone was a little excited, "Captain, are we going to take action?"
"Wait, it's not time to close the line yet. Look where they went. If you can take us back to the lair directly, it will be less risky than arresting us here."
The deputy team nodded, "I also agree with this plan.
However, this will increase the difficulty of tracking, neither can be discovered by the other party, nor can it be lost. "
Luke said, "It is still taking turns to track.
Marcus, Jackson, you go too.
Also, let the drone track in the air. "
"Yes, sir."
The Ford sedan was driving very fast. In order to avoid being noticed, the police did not dare to follow too closely, so a police officer was asked to sit in the police car to control the drone tracking.
Also, Luke contacts Red to track down the black Ford through road surveillance.
With the multi-party cooperation of the police, the trace of the suspect vehicle has been under control.
Half an hour later, the suspect vehicle drove into a black community.
The garage door of a white bungalow with a sloped roof on the east side of the community was open, and the Ford sedan drove directly into the garage.
The garage door closed, and there was no movement.
The ransom payment operation has come to an end temporarily, and it has been more than four hours since the kidnapper made a blackmail call.
At this time, a fish-belly paleness appeared in the sky.
Through road monitoring and drone observation, the police have identified the kidnapper's lair.
Luke began to deploy control around.
A black SUV pulls up a little further away from the white house, and Luke watches through binoculars.
The deputy team on the side asked, "What do you think?"
Luke analyzed, "From the existing situation, this is probably the lair of the kidnappers, or one of the strongholds.
It's just that we still don't know what's going on inside, and we don't know if the hostages are here.
If you act rashly, it may be dangerous, so it is best to find out the situation first. "
The deputy team nodded, "It's right to be safe, but I'm still a little worried.
After the kidnappers get the gold, the hostages are worthless, and will they tear up their tickets immediately? "
Luke frowned slightly. The deputy team's worries were justified. Any choice would be risky, and they could only choose the optimal solution.
At this moment, a gray BMW drove over and stopped in the kidnapper's yard.
A black man wearing sunglasses got out of the car. He looked around and walked quickly into the house.
Luke observed with a telescope, his face changed slightly, and he recognized the identity of the man wearing sunglasses.
The owner of the strange house antique shop and csj **** shop, Jim.
This guy has been engaged in the gray business of collecting and selling stolen goods for a long time.
The deputy team also saw Jim through the binoculars, curled their lips, "This guy looks familiar..."
Luke reminded, "The last Getty Museum oil painting robbery, his antique shop happened to sell high imitation oil paintings that were suspected of being robbed."
The deputy team said, "I remembered, this guy also helped a little in the oil painting robbery. How did he get involved in the kidnapping case? Isn't this guy only collecting dirty and selling stolen goods?"
Luke was also a little confused about this. Although Jim's business is also illegal, as long as it does not touch the interests of the police, the police will turn a blind eye.
After all, this kind of gray interest chain, if one is destroyed, there will be a second one. Rather than letting them grow in secret, it is better to be under the nose of the police.
From this point of view, Jim has a gang background, and the police don’t bother to pay attention to him. As long as he doesn’t offend others and doesn’t cross the border, he’s quite healthy, so why take the risk and get involved in the kidnapping case.
unless…
Luke vaguely guessed something.
5,000 ounces of gold are worth 10 million U.S. dollars. The kidnappers definitely can’t spend them directly. They still need to find someone to exchange them for cash. This may be the purpose of Jim’s visit.
Jim has black market connections and might be able to convert 5,000 ounces of gold into cash.
Moreover, he found that Jim traveled lightly and did not bring more people.
explained that he was very reassured about the people in the house. Is it possible that the people in the house were his accomplices.
If it is inferred in this way, the two who took the gold may not be the kidnappers, but Jim's subordinates. Even if the police catch them, they may not be able to find the kidnappers.
Rather than saying that the kidnappers came to Jim to exchange gold, it would be better to say they were looking for Jim to cover the mine. If Jim was caught, they would definitely run away without a trace.
If Jim is not caught, it means that the family members of the victim did not call the police. According to the agreement, Jim will directly convert the gold into cash, and they just wait to get the money.
Although Jim will definitely deduct part of the commission, it is equivalent to adding an insurance policy, passing on the most dangerous part of the kidnapping case, the payment of ransom.