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Sugababe Amelle feared kidnapped is safe
By Mark Blunden, London Lite Last updated at 12:53pm on 11.09.09The family of Sugababes singer Amelle Berrabah feared she had been kidnapped after she went missing for days, it was revealed today.
The star vanished after apparently having a huge row with bandmate Keisha Buchanan, missing a string of public appearances and ignoring calls from her management.
And when her family were unable to contact her they called police, fearing she had been abducted from her home town of Aldershot. Officers from Hampshire Police filed a missing persons report to the Met, but she was found at her north London home yesterday, before a kidnap unit was alerted.
Berrabah, 25, is said to have told officers she was safe but desperately unhappy and needed a break after a run-in with Buchanan, 24. She had apparently become depressed over what she felt was jealousy within the group following her No 1 collaboration with singer Tinchy Stryder.
A friend said: “She is deeply unhappy at the moment and scared of Keisha. She still loves the band and the last thing she wants to do is quit. But the problem needs to be addressed because she feels she is being bullied.”
Berrabah was said to have been shocked by the police turning up at her home. However, she is no stranger to controversy.
Last year she was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a car in Aldershot, but no charges were brought. And in 2007 she was arrested over allegations she assaulted an 18-year-old girl at a bar in Guildford, spending a night in the cells before being freed.
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Reader views (8)
Maybe she's with the bloke from Glasvegas....
- Miss G, London
So her parents were worried and feared that she'd been kidnapped...but they never thought about checking to see if she was at her north london flat? Come to think of it, nobody else thought about knocking on her front door....mmm either she lives a very private personal life (and we all know this is not the case), to the point where not even her family knows where she lives or it's a blatent stunt.
A year ago I thought my partner was missing, we have a small baby, so it was unusual that she didn't come home....I was awake from 5am phoning her friends, the places that she'd been to, I even ended up waking my son up and going out to look for her. She was found in hospital.
My point is, is that if you think a member of your family is missing you do anything and everything no matter what.
- Andy, London
Surely, to be 'Kidnapped' you have to be forceably removed to a place where your nearnest and dearest can't find you and more often than not a ransom demanded for safe return ?
Also, an adult has to be uncontactable for 7 days before a missing persons report can be submitted.
Did I miss something in this story ? Switching your mobile off and having a sulk at home isn't something the Police should be getting involved in, memeber of washed-up band or otherwise.
- Hansel, London
Its not the best way to promote a new Album & single but quite a good way to announce a new solo career?
- Alestare, London
well, that publicity stunt didn't work too well
- Al Stuart, ealing
This looks suspiciously like a management generated PR story, do they have a new single comming out soon? Come on, she was never feared kidnapped as all that happened was someone said she hadnt been seen for a couple of days after a row, so a MET copper went round and knocked on her door and suprise suprise she was at home all along. Hardly a case of suspected kidnapping, which I assure you the police would take very seriously indeed.
- H, London, UK
The Sugababes are a bit like Trigger's broom.
"I've 'ad this broom for 20 years. It's 'ad 17 new heads and 14 new shafts".
- Peter, Harrow, UK
Nice to know that public money is being spent so well!!!!!!!!!!!!! why would anyone want to kidnap her?
- Jonny, London
