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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A Mormon mission president is safe after armed assailants held, robbed and released him last week in Argentina, according to a church statement and news reports.
The LDS Church confirmed the incident Wednesday involving David Paul Robertson, 52, president of the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Robertson was “robbed and briefly held last week on the night of September 24th," church spokesman Dale Jones said in a statement. "The assailants took his wallet, cellphone and vehicle and then released him on the street. President Robertson is safe and has reported the incident to authorities.”
President Robertson was driving his Toyota Hilux truck when armed bandits stopped him at an intersection in Ciudadela, according to the Argentinian newspaper El Dia.
Ciudadela is a city in the Greater Buenos Aires area.
The thieves held President Robertson for a few minutes, then released him, taking his truck, computer, cell phone and cash, El Dia reported. The newspaper described the crime as an express kidnapping.
President Robertson took over as president of the Buenos Aires West mission in July, according to the LDS Church News.
President Robertson and his wife, Juliana Marie Hendershot Robertson, have seven children. The Robertsons had been living in Lima, Peru, where President Robertson had been employed by the LDS Church, prior to assuming his new eccesiastical position in Argentina.
The South America Northwest Area is an administrative unit of the LDS Church covering Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Five days after the robbery involving President Robertson, the U.S. Embassy warned Americans living in and traveling to Argentina about a recent increase in criminal activity including express kidnappings.
The security message issued by the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires said U.S. citizens have reported a number of crimes to the embassy in recent months, including "snatch-and-grab robbery involving motorcycles and bicycles, and occasionally more serious crimes such as express kidnapping, home invasion, carjacking" and more.
The security message said Americans should avoid demonstrations and maintain a high level of vigilance.
The embassy said it did not have evidence that Americans are being targeted specifically. Email: twalch@deseretnews.com