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Sicily Teen Abducted in Vittoria Reappears Safe as Probe Flags Two Pandas, Four Captors

Prosecutors rule out ransom as motive.

Overview

  • Police say the 17-year-old son of a local produce entrepreneur was seized Thursday and returned to the commissariat Friday evening after being released.
  • Ragusa prosecutor Francesco Puleio reported no ransom request and excluded extortion, adding there are no asset freezes and no prior intimidation complaints involving the family.
  • Surveillance footage captured two Fiat Panda cars linked to the operation, and investigators describe a four-person commando traveling in separate vehicles.
  • The teen was questioned for hours, is in good health and says he was not mistreated, with detention reported to have lasted under 24 hours in a country house near Vittoria.
  • Key details remain disputed, including whether he was hooded and the exact release location, with differing accounts citing a friend or a passing motorist near the railway station, as all non-extortion lines of inquiry stay open.