Kidnapping, business brawl or family feud?

Photo: Erakogu

Under obscure circumstances, a well known recreational fisherman disappeared at half way from Tartu to Tallinn, his only known link to criminal world being his brother.  

Kajar Paas (43), lost in the night hours of last Thursday on Tartu-Tallinn Highway near Ardu, is outwardly a decent person. Mr Paas owns a small construction company with registered address at a cottage belonging to him in the small village of Rinsi on the isle of Muhu.

In the recreational fishermen circles, Kajar Paas is well known and well spoken of. Same goes for his unmarried partner Veera, who the man was with while presumably kidnapped last week.

The unmarried couple whose permanent residence is in central Estonia, was allegedly on their way to acquaintances dwelling in Tallinn, around midnight, when suddenly they had to pull their older type Mercedes to a halt near Ardu.

According to the lady who was at the wheel, she stopped the car thinking the black SUV in front of them needed help. Unexpectedly, the two men exiting the SUV pulled Kajar Paas out of the Mercedes by force and took him away. Thus says the lady.

Instead of following the kidnappers of promptly informing the police, Veera turned the Mercedes bask towards Paide and went back home. About six hours after the alleged kidnapping, Veera drove herself to Paide hospital, having detected a bullet wound in her body area.

According to Veera, she did not even realise at the moment of kidnapping that somebody shot her. She only discovered the bullet wound when at home, and then went to the hospital.  

The close to six hours gap between the kidnapping and arrival at hospital is what makes investigators rack their brains for several days now. They still do not have an answer to the question what actually happened and why the lady did not inform the police of what had happened – police was informed by the doctor on duty, at the hospital where the lady came with the wound.

At the moment, there are no sure answers. At a press conference yesterday, Western police organised and serious crime department head Margus Sass admitted the only testimony they can currently rely on is the statement by the only known bystander to the event.

The investigators lack the presumed plate number of the black SUV in question and any direct witnesses of the alleged scuffle. The man that disappeared, Kajar Paas, is not personally linked to crime, if only for the indirect tie to a criminal investigation. However, crimes have been committed by his brother currently under arrest.

To Postimees knowledge, however, investigators do not think the brother’s recent arrest a likely motive for kidnapping. For starters, the investigators checked whether the misunderstanding had arisen due to money, hoping that as this proves to be the case, Kajar Paas will surface within days.

This not being the case, police and Western district prosecutor’s office on Tuesday morning informed the public via a press release – in hopes that the possible kidnappers would thus be forced to let the victim go. And as even that fails to be the case, it is reasonable to assume that some chance person who drove by and witnessed the event on Tartu-Tallinn highway would contact the police.

Neither has happened and thus the investigators are fumbling in the dark. Before they ever issued the statement, yesterday, all roads from the Ardu area had been searched and mobile users in the region positioned. 

That also failed to provide a direct and prompt solution. Therefore, the single thread for the investigators is the witness Veera still in hospital, whose statements now have to be very thoroughly checked and linked to facts. The police are investigating the case as unlawful deprivation of liberty and attempted murder.

All who, in the night of December 5^th, witnessed what happened near Ardu are asked by the police to inform at phone number 513 5441 or e-mail to [e-mail]. Witnesses will be granted anonymity.