A 28-year-old man has been charged with 14 crimes after police allege he kidnapped three women in separate incidents across Metro Vancouver, Canada over the course of just four days.Amritpal Singh, an Indian-origin man, faces several serious charges following reported incidents in Pitt Meadows, Surrey and West Vancouver in January. He faces three counts of kidnapping, three counts of misuse of computer, text messages and phone data, two counts of making threats, and two counts of using a fake gun during the commission of a crime, police said.He is also charged with assault, assault with a weapon, sexual assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.Police said the charges are related to three incidents that occurred between January 15 and 18.
Singh was arrested after the last alleged kidnapping on January 18.At approximately 12:40 a.m. that day, Ridge Meadows RCMP received “a report of a woman being held against her will in a vehicle,” according to the police news release. Officers were told the suspect was armed and “displaying threatening behavior.”“Police immediately pursued various investigative avenues and subsequently located the woman and male suspect in North Pitt Meadows,” the statement read.
He added: “When the police arrived, the suspect was safely detained.”Police later linked the Pitt Meadows case to two similar incidents in Surrey and West Vancouver on January 15 and 16. Officers then approved the 14 charges.Police shared limited details about the relationship between Singh and the alleged victims. They said investigators believe the women were lured “through an online platform and allegedly used it to request or offer job opportunities.” When asked if Singh knew the women beforehand, police confirmed they had been “targeted through job opportunities” online.The BC Prosecution Service confirmed in a statement that Singh was “remanded in court” and is scheduled to appear in Port Coquitlam on March 9. “Absent a successful bail review, Mr. Singh will remain in custody until the case is concluded,” the District of Columbia Police Service said.
