Police have arrested one suspect and have issued a warrant for another after a 57-year-old Newtonville man was kidnapped from his home, beaten with a baseball bat and forced to cash a cheque at an area bank.
Police say the victim answered a knock at his door at around 1 a.m. on Sept. 1 and discovered a woman he was familiar with and another man standing outside.
The pair then entered the house and proceeded to assault the victim and rob him of his wallet, police say.
The suspects are then alleged to have held the victim in the home against his will through the night, at one point hitting him with a baseball bat when he attempted to leave.
The ordeal continued in the morning and at around 9:30 a.m. police say the suspects drove the victim to a Bowmanville bank and forced him to go inside and cash a cheque.
While inside the bank the victim, who was being escorted by the female suspect, was able to alert an employee that he was in trouble. At that point police were contacted and began searching for the man.
The victim was then able to escape his captors and call police as they arrived at a motel in Whibty at around 11:30 a.m.
Minutes later an officer who happened to be in the area spotted a taxi leaving the premises, stopped it and arrested a male suspect without incident.
Jamie Swerdfiger, 42, is charged with seven offences, including forcible confinement, kidnapping, assault causing bodily harm and robbery with violence.
Police are continuing to look for Heidi Madeiros, 35, in connection with the case. Madeiros is described as white and about five-foot-four with a slim build. Madeiros may be driving a 2005 black Dodge Caravan.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Const. Snow (ext. 1605) or Det. Findlay (ext. 1650) of the East Division Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1 (888) 579-1520.
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