Found Alive Canada - Wanzhen Lu, 22, Kidnapped, Markham, Ontario, 24 Mar 2019

[katydid23]

No. Family paid ransom via drop-off but he has never returned.

Awww. That’s terribly sad.

 

[dotr]

As a cautionary note: we had a very similar thing occur last month (last week?) here in Winnipeg: Chinese student from a wealthy family, abduction, ransom asked for. It turned out that the ‘victim’ had engineered his own kidnapping to get money out of his parents. See this article for details:
Kidnapping 'victim' faked crime with accomplice, police allege

There are also a number of kidnapping scams going around specifically targeting Chinese students in Canada.

True!
Found Safe - Canada - 3 Chinese students, ages 16-20, missing in extortion scam, Toronto, Nov 2017
Warnings in BC and Alberta about the same scam.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/police...ping-scam-targeting-chinese-females-1.3662705
Edmonton police are warning the public about a virtual kidnapping scheme that targets young female Chinese students in Alberta and B.C.

Scammers pretending to be Chinese government officials or members of Chinese law enforcement agencies are calling young female students studying in Canada and convince them that they have been convicted of committing crimes back in China, police said during a press conference on Thursday.

The callers then tell the victims to go into hiding and threaten to harm their families if they refuse, police allege. The females are told they will be deported back to China if they try to contact Canadian law enforcement.

 

[cybervampira]

As a cautionary note: we had a very similar thing occur last month (last week?) here in Winnipeg: Chinese student from a wealthy family, abduction, ransom asked for. It turned out that the ‘victim’ had engineered his own kidnapping to get money out of his parents. See this article for details:
Kidnapping 'victim' faked crime with accomplice, police allege

There are also a number of kidnapping scams going around specifically targeting Chinese students in Canada.

Seems to be a different MO though. Victims are told to go into hiding by fake Chinese officials via phone. Here, we have a physical kidnapping, 3 masked men and a car with stolen license plates.

 

[Minou]

I’m in this area very often. Markham is considered to be affluent & the population in is considerably Chinese.

I can upload some photos of the area if anyone wants. Markham is on the border of Scarborough, where we have been considered rough around the edges and also highly multicultural.

I’ll keep my eye out for this van, it’s highly recognizable and I’d wager a guess it doesn’t belong to the suspects but probably to a disabled relative.

 

[NervousNellie]

No. Family paid ransom via drop-off but he has never returned.

That is so sad.

 

[Choochoobella]

Jammar Allison was also abducted in a black Dodge Caravan in June:

CANADA - Canada - Jammar Allison, 25, Toronto, 1 Jun 2018 *abducted*

Same tinted windows. Maybe a connection?

Cybervampira,

Incredible that you remembered a similar case! While the Jammar Allison case sounds like it was drug-related, it doesn't seem like Wanzhen Lu's would be. I would expect a ransom demand any minute now. In the end, the motive for both abductions might be the same: money.

 

[cybervampira]

York Regional Police

UPDATE - ARMED KIDNAPPING IN MARKHAM
York Regional Police is seeking public assistance to locate 22-year-old Wanzhen LU who was kidnapped from an underground parking garage in the City of Markham.

On Saturday, March 23, 2019, shortly before 6 p.m., the victim and his friend were in an underground parking garage at a condominium building located at 15 Water Walk Drive, which is in the area of Highway 7 and Birchmount Road. Three men, one of whom was armed with a conductive energy weapon, exited a van and grabbed the victim. The victim was resisting and was shocked by the suspects. The suspects forced the victim into the van and fled.
Police are concerned for the wellbeing of the victim and have released images of him that were taken the day he was kidnapped, as this was the clothing he was wearing at the time of the incident. Investigators have obtained video surveillance from the underground parking garage and are releasing images of the suspect vehicle and three of the suspects.

Suspect Vehicle:
 2008 to 2010 black Dodge
Caravan
 Wheelchair accessible with
stickers indicating that
 No front plate
 Rear plate: CEAR350
 Plate is stolen

Suspect 1
 Male, wearing a mask, blue
pants, black jacket,

Suspect 2
 Male, dark skin
 6’1”
 Wearing black Canada
Goose jacket

Suspect 3
 Male, dark skin
 6’2”, heavier build
 Wearing dark blue jeans
with a black jacket

Suspect 4
 Male
 Green/yellow jacket with a
hood

Anyone with information is asked to contact York Regional Police #5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau immediately at 1-
866-876-5423, ext. 7541. If you spot the suspects or the suspect vehicle, do not approach them, call 9-1-1 immediately.

 

[LadyL]

wonder why the victim was a target ... wealthy parents?

 

[abr]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=358722398075293

WATCH LIVE: York police provide an update on the armed kidnapping of 22-year-old Wanzhen Lu from an underground parking garage in Markham. READ MORE: Photos released of Markham armed kidnapping suspects

At the end of this article, there is another article saying a body has been found in Bratham Park.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Is that a bullet hole underneath the back seat window?

View attachment 175972

I think that's the finger-catch to the gas tank filler? Not 100% sure though.

Also, is the date in the title wrong? Looks like this happened the evening of the 23rd, not the 24th?

 

[dotr]

At the end of this article, there is another article saying a body has been found in Bratham Park.

Phew..
Body found in Brampton park deemed not suspicious
"The coroner attended the scene and investigators determined it was not-suspicious."

 

[JDG]

News just reported that he drives expensive cars. A Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini (sp?)

This indicates that he is from a wealthy family. Police seem very concerned as the hours go by.

 

[JDG]

wonder why the victim was a target ... wealthy parents?

yes, he's from a wealthy family.

 

[jash]

York Regional Police
<snipped for space>
View attachment 175985

How upsetting and shocking! You can see the victim being accosted in the background of this photo.

 

[Tealgrove]

I saw all of this on the news tonight and I could be VERY wrong but....from what I could see of the kidnappers they almost appear to be East Indian. Their skin seems quite dark. It could be just the lighting but the first thing I thought was that they might be East Indian.

I also saw the report that he drove very expensive cars - not a car - CARS - including a Lambourghini and a Rolls Royce.

There is some serious wealth in this family. I'm leaning towards a kidnapping for ransom. MOO

 

[JDG]

His family are en route to the Toronto area now.

CFTO news

 

[Kamille]

I heard the news about the expensive cars he drove too. That is also a $2000 Gucci sweatshirt he was wearing. While the cars were likely leased, there does appear to be some serious money in the family.

I actually hope that maybe this kid set this up with some school friends to try to get some more money out of his family to cover his expensive tastes rather than the alternative that he was genuinely kidnapped by three guys who saw him as an easy target. I doubt we'll even hear of any ransom demands and probably won't hear much about this case unless a member of the public comes forward and he is found safe.

MOO

 

[Kamille]

Fwiw, the suspect in the blue sweatpants is wearing an Under Armour Jacket. I guess the YRP didn't recognize that logo.

 

[jillybean51]

The suspects appear to be wearing expensive clothes.Under Armour,Nike

 

[otto]

The suspects appear to be wearing expensive clothes.Under Armour,Nike

The Canada Goose coat worn by one of the suspects is $800. Given that they are kidnapping someone, I'm guessing that everything they own is stolen.