Another kidnapping story – but in this case, quite real. Sean Douglas, the owner of a residential building in Albany, New York, was very unhappy with the state government’s moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent.
This decree was adopted by the State Assembly in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, due to which many people lost their jobs and earnings and were unable to pay their rent (currently, the moratorium in New York State is valid until May 1). After several unsuccessful attempts to collect rent from two of his tenants – a 28-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man, whose names have not been disclosed – Douglas, together with a still unknown accomplice, entered the apartment of the peacefully sleeping “defaulters”, woke them up with blows and kicks, and then tied their hands with plastic ties and duct tape. Then, putting pillowcases on their victims’ heads, they loaded them into a car in front of the house and, at gunpoint, drove them to a snow-covered rural cemetery in County Columbia.
There they left them, still with their hands tied, which, as noted in the police report, “posed a risk of serious physical injury to the victims of the abduction due to the cold weather.” After several attempts, the woman managed to free herself from the adhesive tape and ties on her hands, and she got to the nearest apartment, from where she called the police.
Douglas was arrested on second-degree kidnapping charges. He was released from Albany County Jail pending trial on $ 50,000 bail. The alleged accomplice of the kidnapping is wanted by the police.
Newspaper headline:
Check out in New York