According to a BBC report, British businessman and the former UK honorary consul in Guayaquil, Colin Armstrong has been abducted from his home in Ecuador's Los Rios territory.
The 78-year-old billionaire, alongside his partner Katherine Paola Santos, was snatched in the morning of Saturday from a farm he possessed close to the city of Guayaquil, police in the South American country mentioned.
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Nonetheless, his partner Ms Santos has reportedly been saved, and police are currently investigating her over the hijacking.
Colin Armstrong kidnapping case: Insight
Local media reports said that 15 criminals disguised as cops entered his property and grabbed him and his partner, Katherine Paola Santos, a Colombian. The kidnappers are believed to have driven the couple away in Mr Armstrong's black BMW, which was subsequently seen abandoned close by.
The investigators are focusing on Colin’s partner Katharine Paola Santos who may have apparently lied about her identity.
''Following the kidnap of Colin Armstrong, it's become known that Katherine Paola Santos was born in the Colombian city of Barranquilla and began having surgery to look more feminine and that her birth name is Alberto Santos. It appears she is now being investigated by prosecutors and police in Ecuador over the kidnap of Colin Armstrong", Veteran lawyer Ricardo Vanegas said in a tweet.
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As per the Guardian, kidnappings for ransom have become progressively normal in Ecuador, to a great extent credited to drug trafficking gangs.
????¡¡Madrugada de terror!! se vivió en hacienda Rodeo Grande, en cantón #Babahoyo, #LosRíos cuando 15 hombres con fusiles, secuestraron al Ing. #ColinArmstrong, fundador de #AGRIPAC y Consul Honorario de Reino Unido ???????? en #Guayaquil. Así confirmó @PoliciaEcuador #EcuadorBajoAtaque pic.twitter.com/B9e3iLswG8
— Zona Informativa 593 (@Zona_Info593) December 16, 2023
What police has to say so far in the kidnapping case?
Ecuador’s National Police have so far offered just a single official remark on the case, which occurred at around 2.45 am local time on Saturday at the British businessman’s ranch named Rancho Rodeo Grande close to the town of Baba in Los Rios territory, two hours’ drive north of Guayaquil.
The victim’s son Nick Armstrong, who also runs the family estate in North Yorkshire, has reportedly travelled to Ecuador to assist police with finding his dad.
Who is Colin Armstrong?
Colin Armstrong, a 78-year old man and the founder and owner of Agripac, a big agricultural products organization in Ecuador, left the job of honorary consul in 2016 and was replaced by his son Nicolas.
He is additionally the owner of the 500 acre of land (202 hectare) Tupgill Park Estate in North Yorkshire, which was his childhood home. He was also awarded with an OBE and CMG in 2011.