"I can assure you that he will be caught" VIDEO

BELGRADE -- "Rest assured that Ninoslav Jovanovic will be caught", Biljana Popovic Ivkovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, told TV Prva

Source: B92, Prva Monday, 30.12.2019. | 09:49

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Screenshot/TV Prva

"Our main goal is to capture that monster and bring him to justice. He will receive the appropriate punishment," added Biljana Popovic Ivkovic.

Popovic Ivkovic said that Jovanovic was armed and that those involved in the search were constantly working to catch him.

36 villages were searched in a single day, and not only the villages, but also the cemeteries. Due to the tradition in the area where the above-ground structures are being built, we suspected that he could be hiding there," Popovic said, commenting on the search.

"Many officers are on the ground, every potential exit point is being monitored."

Rebic: We are convinced that we will find him quickly

"The search is ongoing, the police have surrounded the area where we believe Ninoslav is hiding and we are convinced that we will find him quickly. We will not withdraw the police from the field until we find him, and it is only a matter of time," Police Director Vladimir Rebic told RTS and pointed out that there are 500 to 600 police officers on the ground.

Rebic points out that, according to the police, Jovanovic has a gun and urged the parents to be alert. Talking about how the girl was found, Rebic said the girl was found by the owners of the cottage where she was staying at that moment. As he said, the police had earlier called on the citizens to visit the cottages and check on their houses, which the owners of the facility where the girl was found had done.

"They came to their facility. Ninoslav heard them, thought it was the police, so he jumped out. The officers showed up in two, three minutes at the scene. Two, three minutes took from the homeowner's call for the nearest patrol to come", Rebic said.

As he stated, the homeowner gave the key to police officers, who entered the facility and saw the girl. He added that speculation had emerged on social media about how Monica had been found, which, he said, was aimed at discrediting the police, which had done a great job.

The Police Director said Jovanovic had planned the crime since he had been missing since August, stating that he used that time to prepare the premises where he was staying with his victim.

He stated that the case of kidnapping little Monika was different from the others, because it was well planned, and the kidnapper was familiar with the terrain", Rebic said.

He said that the girl was conscious and communicative when she was found. The RTS states that the investigation is diverting towards the village of Malca in the Nis municipality, the homeland of the abductor.