Johor Bahru Utara police chief MS Balveer Singh said they arrested the four at 8pm today and seized a vehicle believed to have been used in the incident, in addition to recovering the victims’ belongings.

He said the four suspects, including three juveniles, have been remanded for four days until Thursday and the case is being investigated for kidnapping, causing hurt with weapons, and criminal intimidation.

“An investigation is ongoing to identify the motive of the incident,” he said in a statement.

The three teenagers, all aged 14, were abducted by a group of about 10 people, one of whom was known by the victims, using three cars and taken to an undisclosed location.

Balveer said the suspects beat them up and took nude pictures of them, as well as threatened to circulate the photos if they revealed the incident.

“The suspects then fled with the victims’ belongings and left them there,” he said.

He said the victims, who suffered bruises on their faces and hands, were rescued with the help of the public and sent to hospital before going to the police station to lodge a report at 6.45am yesterday.