Two arrested over a minor being held in a car boot in La Manga

The Guardia Civil has arrested two young people on suspicion of unlawful detention, assault and making death threats following an investigation into a minor being held in the boot of a car in La Manga del Mar Menor.

The operation, announced on Tuesday 27 October, concerns events in the early hours of 15 August, when a group of young people, most of them minors, were walking home.

According to the Guardia Civil’s account, a car approached the group and three individuals got out, shouting and threatening them while demanding the return of mobile phones that had apparently been stolen.

Messages from the boot and calls to emergency services

Several members of the group ran away, but one minor was forced into the boot, where he was assaulted and threatened with death, according to the investigation.

Another young person was also assaulted and seriously injured, although he managed to escape.

The car travelled along La Manga’s Gran Vía before stopping elsewhere on the road; during that time, the minor was able to send messages to his parents from inside the boot.

The suspects later took him out of the boot and forced him to make a video call telling his friends he had escaped, in an attempt to get them to return, the Guardia Civil says.

The friends became suspicious and alerted emergency services, as did the parents, prompting a search operation in the area.

According to the Guardia Civil, those holding the minor released him after noticing several patrols searching a nearby area.

His father located him in a public street using a mobile phone application; he needed medical attention for injuries initially described as serious.

Inquiries remain open

Guardia Civil patrols were assisted by La Manga-San Javier Local Police and the force’s investigation team.

Officers identified the car and two suspects, who were subsequently located and arrested, and found an item of clothing belonging to the main victim inside the vehicle linked to the events.

The Guardia Civil is continuing its inquiries to establish the identity and degree of involvement of other people, and has not ruled out further arrests.