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Narrator: Knowledge of a criminal's modus operandi, M.O., is a major element in law enforcement. The rapid analysis and distribution to all police agencies of any newly-discovered M.O. is of the utmost importance. Through the last few months, two men specializing in market robberies used an M.O. with a new and vicious angle: To ensure co-operation of the store manager, a member of his family was held at gunpoint by one of the men, while the other committed the robbery. The robbery completed, the criminals made good use of their hostage, taking her to a spot on a lonely road, necessitating at least a 20-minute walk to the nearest telephone, giving them ample time to return to their own car and close out their trail.
