The two kidnapped boys are currently missing. Anyone who can provide information should contact the cantonal police in Neuchâtel.
Two seven-year-old brothers were kidnapped in La-Chaux-de-Fonds (NE) shortly following noon on Friday. The cantonal police in Neuchâtel and the public prosecutor said the crime was related to a custody dispute.
According to the communiqué, the children’s grandmother, who looked following the two brothers at home, was attacked by two or three people at around 12.45 p.m. The 54-year-old Spaniard was bound and gagged. The perpetrators then left the scene and took the children with them.
Father is wanted by authorities
The victim was able to free himself and contacted the police at 1:05 p.m. The police immediately launched a large-scale search operation. The custody dispute is between the parents who live in Switzerland and Spain. The conflict revolves around the question of whether the children should live in Spain or Switzerland. The authorities wrote that the father of the two boys was being sought in Switzerland and France. He is accused of child abduction, among other things.
Initial investigations have revealed that a white Toyota Rav 4 with Spanish license plates might be linked to the crime, police said. The vehicle is currently probably on the road in France.
Police are looking for witnesses
The mother of the children, who was not at home at the time of the crime, is currently being cared for by the police. The prosecutor on duty has launched a criminal investigation.
The Neuchâtel cantonal police have launched an appeal for witnesses: Anyone who can provide information should contact the police. Anyone who sees the children should not intervene directly, but call the emergency number. (bab/SDA)