Police report 100% success in resolving kidnap cases

Beijing police reported Monday that up to August 31, they have successfully resolved 100 percent of kidnap cases in the capital.

All hostages were safely rescued in all cases this year so far, the press release said. This includes two recent high-profile hostage-taking cases, one in Wangsiying township in Chaoyang district in June and the other in Hujialou Subway Station in July.

In the former incident, a man held a baby boy and his grandmother hostage in the middle of a street at knife point, before being shot and killed by a police marksman. Police also shot the hostage-taker at Hujialou Subway Station, who had held a female subway security check guard at knife point for over an hour.

Mao Lixin, a criminal law researcher at Beijing Normal University, said that such cases had increased in Beijing in recent years, a result of social conflict.

"Claiming a 100 percent success rate in kidnap is possible, as the number of incidents in Beijing this year could just be around 10," he said.　

"Besides, the level of kidnapping in Beijing is not like in Russia where terrorists with guns are involved," said Mao.

Beijing now has specialist teams trained in hostage negotiations, and officers often train in live fire exercises, which is why there are successful resolutions, he noted.

Chen Tianben, a professor at the Chinese People's Public Security University, said that hostage-takers often target vulnerable residents such as women and children.

"They want public attention, which is why kidnappings are often conducted in these public areas," Chen said.

The Global Times asked Zi Xiangdong, the media officer of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, if any kidnappings were omitted from the press release, but was told he could not reveal any more details. This is the first time Beijng police have announced figures regarding kidnappings, Zi said.