Cobra arrests suspect after woman held captive in Hungary

A 41-year-old Hungarian man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and holding a 62-year-old woman from Braunau district captive in Hungary for three days, ORF reported. He is in pre-trial detention.

The woman reported the incident at the police centre in Braunau last Saturday, saying she had been abducted by an acquaintance. Police said she had recently received money from the sale of a property, which the man is believed to have known about. He allegedly lured her to Hungary for a short holiday together.

Once there, the woman was reportedly knocked down and tied up in a wooded area. The suspect allegedly held her for three days in a car boot or a modified van, threatened her repeatedly with a firearm and made various demands. Police have not provided details of those demands.

Police said the man abandoned his plan as the woman’s family tried to contact her and she faced increasing intimidation. He returned her to Austria but allegedly threatened serious violence against her family if she reported what had happened.

Investigators identified the suspect and found his location abroad. On the order of the Ried public prosecutor’s office, the Cobra police unit arrested him at a residential building in Braunau district. Police said he made a comprehensive confession during questioning.

The woman suffered significant injuries. The modified van was found in Hungary. The suspect was taken to Ried prison after consultation with the public prosecutor’s office.