Advertisement

Incredible footage captures kidnap victim signalling for help on highway

Teenage suspects have been apprehended following a man's harrowing ordeal.

Footage has emerged of the astonishing moment an abducted man poked his fingers through a gap in the back of a ute tray cover, alerting road users to his urgent plight.

The video was captured last week on the BR-153 highway in Itapaci, Brazil, by a motorist who called police to alert them about the situation. Officers located the ute and ordered the driver to stop, however they sped away, sparking a dramatic chase.

Man signalling for help from ute; Rescued man with rope around neck
The 50-year-old man was found with his hands and feet bound and his mouth taped shut after signalling for help from the cargo bed of a ute. Source: CEN/Australscope

"After five kilometres, the teams were able to stop the car, but two occupants got out and ran into a sugarcane field," Brazil's Military Police (MP) said in a statement.

The two males were eventually apprehended, along with a 16-year-old girl in the vehicle. "They were very nervous and apprehensive and said they disobeyed the stop order because they had irregular documentation," the MP said.

The officers searched the ute and when they uncovered the cargo bed, they found a 50-year-old man with his hands and feet bound and his mouth taped shut. According to the MP, the man was close to losing consciousness. "He was almost passing out due to the extreme heat in the area," they said.

Victim lured by teenage girl

The victim told the officers that the suspects had kidnapped him while he was talking to the girl. He told them how they had allegedly punched and kicked him, threatened him with a knife, and stole BRL $2,000 (AUD $590) from one of his bank accounts.

"The suspects spent the money on motels, drinks, and drugs. The victim remained tied up with ropes inside the bed of the pickup truck the entire time," authorities reported.

After being rescued, the victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The MP revealed that the suspects, aged 17 and 18, abducted the victim and had intended to open an instant payment account with the victim's details and withdraw around BRL $170,000 (AUD $50,201).

Knives used by Brazilian kidnapping suspects; items stolen from abductee
Police said the suspects allegedly used knives to threaten the victim and steal cash, a silver Rolex watch and an LG mobile phone. Source: CEN/Australscope

The 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of corruption of minors and aggravated robbery, while the minors were taken to the police station and made available to the justice system.

In a statement, the Goias State Military Police said: "Through an anonymous tip, a team of military personnel from the 44th Military Police Battalion approached three individuals, two of whom were minors, who were committing the crime of robbery with deprivation of liberty."

Australscope

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.