Woman charged for fake kidnapping

A St Andrew woman who reportedly attempted to swindle $1 million from her family by faking her kidnapping was on Tuesday charged with extortion and creating public mischief by investigators at the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC).

According to the CTOC's head, Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony McLaughlin, the woman is Shameka Miller, 27, a customer service representative of Phase 1, in Seaview Gardens. CTOC reported that about 4:45 p.m. on Monday, Miller conspired with accomplices to state that she was kidnapped and those holding her were demanding a ransom for her release. It is further stated that she sent relatives video footage with a man pointing a gun at her head. When the demands were not met, she reported that she was released on Spanish Town Road.

However, McLaughlin told THE STAR that Miller was arrested and charged after investigations by the police proved her kidnapping claims were false. He said that Miller was being 'held' in west Kingston when she was apprehended by the police.

"The accomplices are still at large, but we are carrying out some investigations and we intend to find them soon because we know who they are so we will try to find them soon. The woman was allegedly picked up somewhere in the Trench Town area," said McLaughlin. He also said that it was not the first time that his unit had to deal with such matters and he appealed to the public to resist the urge to commit such crimes.

"I wouldn't say [it is] a trend but we have had quite a number of instances from which arrests have been made. I don't know if we have had any this year but I know last year we have had one or two incidents and I think the year before. It is important that the public understand that this is a very serious criminal offence and [they] mustn't heed to the temptations and encouragement from unscrupulous individuals out there," he said.