A 40-year-old man who was abducted in Puurs-Sint-Amands, near the city of Dendermonde, by three masked men posing as police officers has been rescued after four days, and three suspects have been arrested.
The abduction took place on Oppuurseweg, the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office said. The victim was driving his car when another vehicle forced him to stop. Three masked men got out and claimed to be police officers. The man resisted, leading to a struggle, but the attackers eventually overpowered him and put him in the boot of their car.
Witnesses photographed the number plate and passed it to police. Investigators soon discovered that the car was using a stolen plate.
ANPR camera checks later showed the vehicle had travelled towards Charleroi after the abduction. Police then suspected the victim was being held there.
After an extensive investigation by the Federal Judicial Police in Antwerp, the man was found and brought to safety four days later. According to the prosecutor’s office, he was in good health given the circumstances. On the same day, officers carried out several searches at addresses in Antwerp, Brussels and Saint-Gilles at the request of the investigating judge. Two Albanian men, aged 27 and 42, and a 44-year-old Belgian man were arrested in Saint-Gilles.
The investigating judge placed the three men under arrest on suspicion of hostage-taking. The Mechelen council chamber has since confirmed the detention of two of them. A decision on whether to extend the detention of the third suspect will be taken later.
The investigation is continuing under the direction of the investigating judge, including whether a conflict in the drugs underworld was behind the abduction.
