Kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common in Ecuador
A British businessman and the former UK honorary consul in Guayaquil, Colin Armstrong, has been kidnapped from his home in Ecuador’s Los Rios province, BBC reported. The 78-year-old billionaire, along with his partner Katherine Paola Santos, was abducted in the early hours of Saturday from a farm he owned near the city of Guayaquil, police in the South American country said.
Local media reports say 15 criminals disguised as police officers forcibly entered his property and snatched him and his partner, who is a Colombian national. The attackers are believed to have driven the couple away in Mr Armstrong’s black BMW, which was later found abandoned nearby.
However, his partner Ms Santos has reportedly been rescued, and police are now probing her over the kidnapping.
Veteran lawyer Ricardo Vanegas said in a tweet, ”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.”
PAREJA. Después del secuestro de #ColinArmstrong se llega a conocer que Katherine Paola Santos nació en Baraquilla y fue haciéndose cirugía hasta tomar apariencia femenina y que su nombre es Alberto Santos. Parece que ahora está siendo investigada por la @FiscaliaEcuador… pic.twitter.com/5MyvY1Ath5
— Ricardo Vanegas (@Ricardo_Vanegas) December 17, 2023
Ecuadorean police on X, formerly Twitter, said officers were carrying out ”operational and investigative work” in connection with the case.
INFORMAMOS ||
Ante presunto hecho delictivo en contra de un empresario ocurrido esta madrugada en #LosRíos; unidades especializadas de @PoliciaEcuador ejecutan labores operativas y de investigación en territorio.
Noticia en desarrollo… pic.twitter.com/PVbnSJ1QmQ
— Policía Ecuador (@PoliciaEcuador) December 16, 2023
Notably, Mr Armstrong, who also owns the Forbidden Corner visitor attraction in the Yorkshire Dales, is the president of Ecuadorean agriculture company Agripac. He is also the owner of Tupgill Park Estate in North Yorkshire, which was his childhood home. The businessman was awarded an OBE and CMG by the Queen for services to the British Monarchy in 2011.
A spokeswoman for Forbidden Corner, said, ”The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Forbidden Corner are with the Armstrong family.”
Mr Armstrong’s daughter has also now come forward, pleading for information on his disappearance.
According to the Guardian, kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common in Ecuador, largely attributed to drug trafficking gangs.