Woman Who Was Held Hostage In Her Home Dropped Notes To Alert Nearby Shopkeepers

A woman, who was being held hostage at gunpoint in her home in Australia by some thugs, was rescued after she alerted some nearby shopkeepers by dropping handwritten notes for them.

The incident took place in New South Wales around 7.20 p.m. ET. Emergency crew arrived at the residence in the Bonnyrigg area after someone informed them about the 34-year-old woman being held against her will, Biznewspost reported.

The victim was believed to be held at gunpoint. CCTV footage from the area showed two shopkeepers communicating with the victim as she pleaded for help.

When officers raided the area, they were met with the victim who managed to escape. She told the police a man was inside the house, armed with a firearm and knife, following which they barged into the apartment and arrested 35-year-old Christopher Duncan and two women, aged 42 and 32, media outlet Bestinau reported.

The police told Bestinau that chemicals and equipment for making methylamphetamine were also recovered from the apartment. The victim, whose name wasn't revealed, was allegedly held inside the apartment for an hour.

Duncan was charged with 11 crimes including detaining a person with the intention to commit a serious indictable offense, and assault causing bodily harm, according to Biznewspost. He was reportedly not facing any charges related to the drugs found inside the apartment. The two women were released without charge.

Duncan is being held without bail, and is set to appear in a local court on Wednesday.

In a similar incident, a Pittsburgh woman left a note inside a store bathroom about her alleged kidnapping, following which cops were eventually able to rescue her and arrest her captor. Scott Township police were called to a Walmart store in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, after the store employees found a note in the bathroom mirror in July. The note stated the victim was being held captive and sexually abused by a 38-year-old man named Corey Brewer. The police subsequently received another note detailing her ordeal, and arrested Brewer. The suspect was charged with sexual assault, strangulation and unlawful restraint.