Cape Town police have arrested a 28-year-old man caught in possession of stolen items belonging to kidnap mom Shireen Essop.
Nearly a week after her return to her Primrose Park home, Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa, says the Organised Crime Unit have made a breakthrough.
Potelwa says: "As part of elaborate investigations into the disappearance of 34-year-old Shireen Essop and her subsequent return, Organised Crime Detectives armed with intelligence arrested a 28-year-old suspect on a charge of possession of stolen property believed to be that of kidnapping victim, Shireen Essop. He is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates court on Thursday."
Potelwa says the possibility of more arrests cannot be ruled out.
Further details about the case are expected to emerge in court during the court appearance.
The return of the 32-year-old mom, who was allegedly kidnapped several weeks ago, was met with mixed reactions by Capetonians, some who questioned if the ordeal was staged.
Shireen went missing on 23 May after leaving work. According to her family she was taken by men while driving along Varkensvlei Road in Philippi and then disappeared without a trace while her car was found abandoned.
A post shared on social media by her relatives stated that she had been kidnapped and provided contact numbers but the family declined to comment on her disappearance.
Three weeks later Shireen was found at the Klipfontein Mission Station by neighbourhood watch patrollers who contacted her family.
But her return sent tongues wagging on social media. While some users defended her right to privacy others demanded to know the details saying her disappearance caused mense to panic that there were kidnappers targeting women in Cape Town.