A couple were kidnapped and assaulted while house hunting in Connecticut. The incident happened in Danbury when the couple, in their 50s, had their car rammed by a van with six men inside. The men beat them with a baseball bat and forced them into the van, where they duct-taped their hands and feet. Some of the group stayed behind and drove away in the couple’s Lamborghini sports car.
A witness called the police on their cell phone and followed the van with the victims inside until it eventually crashed and became immobile. Officers arrived and arrested the four suspects in the van before later apprehending the remaining two. The victims were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police identified the suspects as 23-year-old Angel Borrero, 22-year-old Reynaldo Diaz, 23-year-old Anthony Pena, 26-year-old Josue Romero, 21-year-old Ricardo Estrada, and 18-year-old Michael Rivas. They face charges of first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, and reckless endangerment. Officers told reporters that they believe the couple was specifically targeted but had not established a motive or any connection between the kidnappers and their victims.
Subsequent media reports indicate that three of the arresting officers were injured while detaining the suspects, five of whom are held a $1 million bond and the sixth on $2 million. The six men are all Florida residents, and police are appealing for public assistance and witnesses.
In a separate incident, a woman was apparently kidnapped from a gas station in Willimantic, Connecticut, on August 28. A witness called police and said they saw a woman assaulted by two men at a Chuckey’s station before they bungled her into a black vehicle and sped away. Officers located the car, but it did not stop when signaled, prompting a pursuit that was called off when the suspects drove through residential areas and school zones at high speeds.
Immediate investigations revealed the alleged victim’s identity, and officers tracked her down to another Willimantic gas station, where she confessed her involvement in the stunt. The male suspects were later apprehended, and police have confirmed that all parties knew each other and will likely face criminal charges.
