Third Suspect Arrested for Jelavic Kidnapping

Two suspects for the kidnapping of Ante Jelavic were arrested on Friday, a third on Saturday. On Sunday two of them were released.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - Police officers from the department of organized crime, in cooperation with USKOK (Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime) and PNUSKOK (Police National Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime) ended their criminal processing of three Croatian citizens, due to suspicions they kidnapped Ante Jelavic. The three suspects were born in 1971, 1963 and 1977.

Based on a previous arrangement, on Wednesday at around 1:30pm, at the parking lot at the market in the Zagreb suburb of Utrine, the kidnappers forcefully pushed Jelavic into the car and illegally drove him to Bosnia Herzegovina. The next day, using their absence, Ante managed to escape and return to Croatia.

Two Croatian citizens suspected of this crime were arrested in Zagreb on Friday, and a third 32 year old man was arrested in the Dubrovnik area on Saturday. On Saturday the investigations centre of the Zagreb County Court brought in the 38 and 46 year olds, and a day later on Sunday the 32 year old man was brought before the court.

Two people were released to freedom on Sunday, and the police are now waiting for the results of the forensic analysis of evidence gathered at a house suspected to have been used by the kidnappers.

In the family home of Vlado Curic in Rama, which was searched on Saturday, evidence was found such as a blindfold and bindings for hands, which are suspected to have been used in the kidnapping.