“The hostage was more than shocked,” according to a police source. A man was found tied up in the trunk of a car, on the night of Wednesday January 1 to Thursday January 2, in the parking lot of a gas station near Le Mans (Sarthe), Le Parisien learned from a police source, confirming a information from France Bleu Normandie. The man claims to have been the victim of a homejacking 24 hours earlier at his home, located several hundred kilometers in Ain.
It’s a “big deal”, by the police’s own admission. During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, a patrol from the Le Mans anti-crime brigade (BAC) saw two “hooded” men in the parking lot of the Super U gas station in Saint-Pavace, in the suburbs of Le Mans. The two individuals are preparing to refuel their vehicle, a Renault Mégane RS.
A voice that “calls for help”
But upon seeing the police, the first man ran away. The second quickly gets back into the Renault Mégane and drives off. While trying to escape by car, he “lightly” hit the police vehicle. But the man, trapped, quickly exits the vehicle “through the rear door” and escapes on foot. The police went after them but ended up “losing sight” of them, according to a police source.
The crew retraced their steps to search the vehicle, whose engine was still running. But as they approach, they hear a voice “calling for help”, which comes from the trunk of the Renault Mégane. After opening it, they discovered a tied up man inside.
The latter, completely disoriented, does not know “what time it is or where he is”. Before investigators, he explained that he and his wife had been the victim of a home-jacking at their home located in Ain, several hundred kilometers away.
Ransom note sent to son in Dubai
According to his account, four men, equipped with handguns, first kidnapped him with his partner, before kidnapping him, dousing him with gasoline and tying him up in the trunk of a car.
According to France Bleu, the homejacking took place 24 hours earlier, on December 31, in Saint-Genis-Pouilly, a town in Ain neighboring Geneva, almost 500 km from Le Mans. The couple's daughter was also present during the burglary, according to our colleagues, who add that she and her mother were also tied up, but were not kidnapped.
Investigators quickly discovered that a ransom demand had been sent, “via encrypted networks” to the victim’s son, who resides in Dubai. According to our colleagues from RMC and BFM, it could be a cryptocurrency influencer based there. Information that Le Parisien is not able to confirm.
“DNA will perhaps speak”
According to the first elements of the investigation, the car of the alleged criminals, the Renault Mégane, which is “falsely plated”, was stolen in the department of Eure. A blatant investigation has been opened. The investigations were entrusted to the research section (SR) of the Lyon gendarmerie. The car was placed under the surveillance of the Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI).
The two people who were in the vehicle are actively being sought. According to information from Le Parisien, one of the two individuals fled with “a weapon in his hand”. A balaclava was also “abandoned on the ground by the driver”, explains a police source, who adds: “The DNA will perhaps speak”.
Contacted by Le Parisien, the Bourg-en-Bresse public prosecutor's office has not yet responded to our requests.
