DANBURY, CT – A tranquil Sunday afternoon turned into a nightmare for a couple in Danbury as they were kidnapped while house hunting, police said. The victims, a husband and wife in their 50s, were targeted for the luxury car they were driving, leading to a dramatic police chase and eventual rescue.
The incident began when the couple arrived at a gated community in their Lamborghini. According to authorities, their car was deliberately rear-ended, and they were quickly surrounded by three other vehicles. The couple was forcibly taken and bound with duct tape before being shoved into a van.
Surveillance footage captured the van speeding down Clapboard Ridge Road, swerving across the double yellow line, and nearly colliding with an oncoming Subaru. The driver of the Subaru, Karli Battista, described the harrowing moment, saying she narrowly avoided a head-on collision by swerving out of the way.
The van eventually lost control and crashed on Copper Road. The suspects fled on foot, but not before a vigilant witness, who had been following the van and had called 911, led police to the scene. Inside the van, officers found the couple with their hands and feet bound and the man’s eyes covered with tape. Both victims had sustained injuries, with the man appearing to have been beaten with a bat.
Danbury Police quickly apprehended six suspects, all hailing from Florida and ranging in age from 18 to 26. The suspects have no apparent ties to the victims or the Northeast region. They now face a slew of charges, including kidnapping and assault.
The stolen Lamborghini and two other suspect vehicles were also recovered. The victims are currently recovering from their injuries, which, while serious, are not life-threatening.