Amsterdam kidnapping prompted police chase; Shots fired as three arrested
A 15-year-old boy was taken in a kidnapping in the De Pijp neighborhood of Amsterdam on Tuesday morning. The situation was quickly reported by area residents, which then set off a police chase that ultimately ended on a highway in Bilthoven. Police fired warning shots when attempting to rescue the boy, and ultimately took three people into custody.
The incident started at about 8:40 a.m. when witnesses said they saw several people pushing the boy into a van on Tweede Jan Steenstraat, police said. "From my window I saw a white van parked on the sidewalk. And with a lot of shouting and fuss, a man ran to the side of that van," he told Het Parool. "He jumped in and the van started to move while the back door was still open. It was still being pulled shut when it drove off. They were driving in the direction of the Amstel."
Authorities released a description of the van, and managed to track the vehicle down on the A27 near Groenekan, De Bilt, just outside of Bilthoven. Police commanded those in the white van to surrender, and release the child. Officers then fired warning shots, police said in a statement.
“The boy was found (physically) unharmed, and freed.” Three men were taken into custody at the scene. The suspects include a 36-year-old from Weesp, a 35-year-old from Amsterdam, and a 29-year-old from Almere. All three were jailed in restricted custody where they were only allowed contact with their legal representatives.
"We were driving on the highway and suddenly a lot of police cars passed by. There was also a motorcycle police officer and several undercover cars," a witness told RTV Utrecht.
“Bizarre” and “scary,” witnesses say
"When I came out of the park with my dog this morning, I saw police cars everywhere on the street. I didn't really know what was going on, but I suddenly heard that a child had been kidnapped," one De Pijp resident told AT5. "It gives me a scary feeling that this can happen during the day, I find that very bizarre. You never actually hear about things like this.”
“When I took my children to school, I saw a lot of police. I couldn't even cycle to my shop afterwards because it was cordoned off,” another resident told AT5. “I find it very shocking that this happened. I also know a lot of children in the area, so it’s intense. You do live in the city and things always happen here, but I have never experienced anything like this.”
Police said anyone with information about the kidnapping should contact them immediately. Any witnesses were asked to contact detectives, as well as people in the area who have recorded video of the incident.
