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group of armed men abducted Scottish expatriate Malcolm Primrose, 61, in Peureulak, East Aceh, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, police continue to conduct searches of several locations believed to be the group's hiding places.

'We have mobilized all our personnel in Aceh for the searches. However, we have yet to locate the group,' East Aceh Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhajir said on Wednesday.

Primrose, a sub-contractor worker for PT Medco E&P Malaka, was abducted by four armed men when he and his driver were returning from the Matang I oil drilling site in Blang Simpo to their base camp. Primrose is a senior drilling supervisor who oversees drilling processes at the company's oil fields in East Aceh.

The police said that according to Primrose's driver, Dania, 40, the kidnapping took place when they were heading home. As they arrived in Lubuk Pempeng village, their car was stopped by several armed men who also fired warning shots, and then tied up Dania. They then fled in a minivan together with Primrose to the Ranto hinterland area in Peureulak.

'We are still pursuing the kidnappers with help from the Indonesian Military [TNI],' said Muhajir, adding that all police forces in Aceh would do their utmost to secure Primrose's safe release.

Aceh Police chief Insp. Gen. Herman Effendy visited the crime scene directly to monitor the search process.

'As the case involves armed men, we will be very careful and bring in other security forces,' said Aceh Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Gustav Leo. He added that East Aceh was a crime-ridden area where the circulation of illegal firearms was rife, especially firearms dating back to the past armed conflict in the province.

As of now, the motive for the kidnapping and the perpetrators behind it remain unknown.

'We are still investigating to determine the motive. We are unaware what group we are dealing with and where the abductors come from,' said Gustav.

In Jakarta, the National Police said it had deployed a team to track down the armed gang and Primrose.

'Insya Allah [God willing], the team will be able to find him,' National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said.

PT Medco E&P Malaka is a subsidiary of PT Medco Energy International, which began operating in Aceh in 2007 after acquiring the Block A oil drilling site. In 2011, PT Medco's working contract was extended until 2031.

PT Medco Energy said in a release that the abduction took place at around 11 a.m.

'We acted quickly in reporting the case to the security authorities, the regional administration, SKKMigas [upstream oil and gas regulatory special task force] and the British Embassy,' PT Medco Energy's corporate secretary, Imron Gazali, said in the release.

'We express our deep concern to the worker's family and will do everything in our power so that he can rejoin them.'