Traffic on the AP-7 between Montornès del Vallès and Vilanova del Vallès came to a sudden halt after 19:30 on a Saturday. Five men dressed in black, their faces covered and vests marked "Policía," blocked a car and dragged away one of its passengers in broad daylight. Dozens of drivers witnessed the incident.
The group forced the man out of his car in seconds. His face was bloodied, and they pushed him into another car. The whole thing took less than a minute. Drivers caught in the jam filmed it on their phones. Witnesses were confused: some thought it might be a real police operation, while others feared something was wrong. One person called 112, but no one was sure whether the men were real officers.
The Mossos d'Esquadra took over the case and began searching for the man and the group who took him. They confirmed the case is being investigated as illegal detention or an express kidnapping, with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DIC) leading the probe. Hours later, police found the victim elsewhere in Catalonia. He was shaken but not badly hurt. The car used in the abduction was found abandoned, with few clues inside. Spanish media, including ABC and El Periódico, reported that the man was in good health despite looking injured at the scene.
Police have not confirmed why this happened. Sources quoted by EFE said it might be tied to a fight between criminal groups, but investigators are still checking that possibility. No ransom demand has emerged, and the link between the five suspects and the victim remains unclear. The Mossos d'Esquadra’s Division of Criminal Investigation is reviewing witness videos and security camera footage to identify the attackers. ARA and laSexta report that no one has been arrested so far; the motive remains unknown.
The police-style vests and what appeared to be guns suggest a planned effort to intimidate and confuse. The incident raises questions about how easily criminals can pose as police. Violence on Spanish roads is not new. As reported earlier, attacks on vehicles have happened during political and criminal clashes.
The abduction appeared organized and took place on a busy highway in front of witnesses. The victim’s being found unharmed could mean this was a warning rather than a kidnapping for ransom, but the motive remains uncertain until police learn more. The case also raises concerns about public safety and how quickly authorities respond when criminals use tactics that blur the line between law and threat.
