Warsaw police arrest three men after armed garage kidnapping and forest extortion

On Tuesday, 15 September, police officers received a report regarding an armed assault in an underground garage located in Warsaw's Wola district. According to preliminary findings established by law enforcement, two men approached the victim, held a knife against his throat, pointed an object resembling a firearm at him, and threatened to take his life. The victim fell to the ground during the initial confrontation. The perpetrators forced him into his own BMW vehicle, where they struck him repeatedly across the face and entire body while continuing to issue threats with both weapons.

Marta Sulowska, spokeswoman for the Warsaw IV District Police Headquarters, detailed the garage confrontation.

One of them was to hold a knife to his throat, and the other to threaten him with an object resembling a firearm. The victim reportedly fell to the ground. The attackers then dragged him into the car. He was beaten on the face and the entire body. He was threatened with a knife and an object resembling a firearm.

Ordeal in the forest complex

Following the abduction from the garage, the attackers transported the victim inside his car to a secluded woodland area. Upon arrival at the forest complex, the assailants immobilised the man before removing him from the vehicle to demand money.

Sulowska described the actions taken by the perpetrators once they reached the woods.

There they reportedly tied his hands and legs, and then pulled him out of the car. The men demanded money.

The victim informed the assailants that he did not possess any money on his person. Unable to obtain financial assets, the attackers abandoned the victim and fled the location. The man managed to reach nearby residential buildings, where he requested assistance from local residents and asked them to contact emergency services.

Raids across Warsaw and Siedlce

Officers from the Wola district initiated an operation alongside the Warsaw Metropolitan Police Criminal Division. Specialised tactical teams participated in the arrests, including counter-terrorist officers from the Central Counter-Terrorist Sub-unit of the Police "BOA" as well as Independent Counter-Terrorist Police Sub-units from Warsaw and Bialystok. Law enforcement conducted simultaneous raids across Warsaw and Siedlce County, detaining three men aged 25, 47, and 51.

During the apartment searches, investigators uncovered weapons and ammunition connected to the suspects.

During a search of the apartment of one of the detainees, police officers found, among other items, a firearm and ammunition in the amount of nearly 300 pieces. According to officers' findings, the 25-year-old had previously thrown it onto a neighbouring balcony.

Charges and court measures

The Warsaw-Wola District Prosecutor's Office formally opened an investigation into the incident and received the three suspects for questioning. Prosecutors charged the 25-year-old and 51-year-old men with armed robbery and unlawful deprivation of liberty acting in concert. One of the suspects faces an additional charge for possessing a firearm without the required legal permit. At the request of prosecutors, the court ordered three months of temporary custody for the 25-year-old and 51-year-old suspects, who face potential prison sentences of up to 20 years.

The 47-year-old suspect was charged with aiding and abetting the offenders. By order of the prosecutor, he was placed under police supervision, prohibited from contacting the other suspects, banned from leaving Poland, and required to surrender his passport.