A FREEDOM of Information (FOI) request has revealed the number of recorded kidnappings in Devon and Cornwall in the last five years.

Between January 1, 2020 and April 30, 2025, a total of 182 offences of kidnapping were recorded by Devon & Cornwall Police, the FOI request shows.

The age of the victims ranged from as young as two-years-old to as old as 86-years-old.

Kidnapping is a common law offence and is triable only on indictment.

It differs from abduction, which involves the illegal holding of an adult or child without their consent or against their will through force or deception, as involves the illegal holding of an individual through force or threatening behaviour.