The Mossos d’Esquadra are investigating a suspected unlawful deprivation of liberty in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (province of Barcelona). According to reports from several sources, confirmed by Europa Press four masked men are said to have managed to intercept a man at around 4.00 am on Sunday in the neighbourhood of Singuerlín and forcibly make him get into a vehicle. The perpetrators fled immediately afterwards. No information about the man’s whereabouts or any injuries was available initially on Sunday.
Several local media outlets report consistently that the attack took place in a public space directly outside the home of the alleged target. According to people close to the suspected kidnapping, the man had previously taken out a private loan of just over 1,000 euros. The people who had lent him the money had since demanded 4,000 euros, which he could not afford to pay. Media reports attribute this account to his wife; it describes a possible motive but has not yet been confirmed by investigators.
Police are currently treating the case as “detención ilegal” (unlawful deprivation of liberty). Spanish police reports generally use this classification when a deprivation of liberty has been reported but no ransom demand has been confirmed. The officers were initially unaware of any publicly made ransom demand. The Mossos are securing evidence, reviewing footage from the area and interviewing witnesses to establish the identities, whereabouts and motive of the four suspects. No findings from the forensic examination have yet been reported.
The Mossos d’Esquadra are the regional police force responsible for public safety in Catalonia After receiving the report, they began preliminary criminal proceedings; the evidence collected will be passed on to the judiciary as the investigation progresses, with the judiciary overseeing investigations in Spain. Several regional media outlets, including RAC1, report that reports were also made that night of violent attacks and suspected abductions in other parts of Catalonia. It is unclear whether the incidents are connected. Police initially made no comment.
What is confirmed: a report was received early on Sunday; the Mossos d’Esquadra opened an investigation; four masked people are described as the alleged perpetrators. All further details – such as the identities of those involved, the precise course of events, the man’s whereabouts or any financial demands – are part of the ongoing investigation. Quotes and accounts from people close to the family reflect their perspective and should not be regarded as officially confirmed.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).