Local News in Brief : 5 Simi Valley Men Arrested on Suspicion of Kidnaping Couple

Five Simi Valley men were arrested Tuesday night, allegedly after kidnaping a 19-year-old woman and her 23-year-old male companion and attempting to extort a $500 ransom from the woman’s ex-husband.

Arrested on suspicion of kidnaping and robbery were Tim Cross, 30; Brian C. Denning, 25; William P. Abbey, 25; Patrick Myhr, 26, and David A. Bowers, 21. Cross also was arrested on suspicion of raping the woman.

Simi Valley police Detective Rick Terborch said the five men kidnaped the pair about 2 p.m. Tuesday at a shopping center on Los Angeles and Yosemite avenues in Simi Valley. The two were taken to a condominium where Cross lives in the 2000 block of Avenida Placida, Terborch said.

Police were notified by the ex-husband of the ransom demand. The five men were arrested as they left Cross’ home Tuesday evening, police said.

Cross and Myhr were being held in Ventura County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail each; Denning, Abbey and Bowers were being held in the jail in lieu of $20,000 bail each.