Police hoping YouTube can help catch kidnapper

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This article was published 14/08/2009 (6192 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG police are hoping the round-the-globe reach of YouTube will help them close a year-old parental kidnapping case.

On Thursday, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Ron Carver said police are hopeful that the five-minute-long, tearful statement by Emily Cablek will result in tips that will help police track down Cablek’s former common-law husband, Kevin Maryk, and her children, Dominic and Abby Maryk.

"We’ve never done this before," Carver said, adding that the WPS hasn’t felt it was needed in the past.

The couple were involved in a lengthy custody dispute and the court awarded Cablek primary custody of the two young children in January 2007 and gave Maryk visitation rights. He abducted the children a year ago while vacationing with them. Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the last time Cablek last saw her children.

Cablek made an emotional plea earlier this week for the public’s help in finding her children, and Carver said Winnipeg Police believe the popular video website is the right forum to garner international attention.

"We don’t believe (Maryk and the children) are in Canada any longer," Carver said.

The video can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZO_bnMhMwA

Police believe Maryk, 38, has been helped by his 20-year-old nephew, Cody McKay, who hasn’t been seen in a year but whose family have not reported him as missing. Both men are wanted on Canada-wide warrants.

Carver said Winnipeg Police haven’t ruled out using YouTube for other cases in the future, adding however it’s not something they plan to do on a regular basis. Other police departments regularly post videos on YouTube, Carver said. "We want to reserve it for special cases."

 

— Staff