2 jailed in Provo kidnap

PROVO — Two men are in jail after they allegedly grabbed a man, drove him around Provo all night and told him they would shoot him unless he gave them $500.

The man told police he'd been held against his will for several hours and threatened with death, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in 4th District Court.

The incident began Friday just before midnight, when the man drove a friend to 100 W. 300 South to pick up a car from an auto shop.

As the man was leaving by himself, three men approached and shoved him into the front passenger side of his car, according to the affidavit.

They demanded money, and when the man opened his wallet, one man snatched it away, pulling out $200, then demanding $500 more, the affidavit says.

"Several times the victim is threatened with death if he does not come up with more money," said Provo Police Capt. Cliff Argyle. "Mostly just verbal threats. No (weapon) was ever displayed."

The group drove around all night, with passengers switching in and out at occasional stops. One of the men who got out of the car kept the victim's cell phone, according to the affidavit.

In the morning, the men allegedly drove the victim to a Utah Community Credit Union at 1501 S. 40 East and demanded that he give them his PIN number so they could use his ATM card.

When they couldn't get any money due to insufficient funds, the group drove the man to Check City and demanded he get a loan, Argyle said.

A lack of credentials prevented a loan and the robber told the victim that "the other suspects would not be happy if they returned without the money," according to the affidavit.

Before they left, the man told the clerk to call 911. Upon hearing that, the kidnapper took off. The other man in the car and a third man hid behind a 7-Eleven gas station just west of Check City until police arrived, Argyle said.

One man was arrested and booked into jail for investigation of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping. The man with him was questioned and released. Officers are still trying to determine how involved he was with the alleged plot.

The second man was arrested later that night at his home after the victim identified him in a photo lineup, according to the affidavit. The victim didn't know the kidnappers previously.