'Kidnapping' from nativity: statue thieves with views on TikTok
Two youths arrested in Spain after stealing a statue and demanding ransom on social media.
Police in south-eastern Spain moved quickly to solve an unusual case: two young men, aged 19 and 21, stole a statue of baby Jesus from a local nativity scene. More surprisingly, the thieves demanded a €2,000 ransom on the TikTok platform.
The men posted a video on TikTok in which they describe themselves as "kidnappers" and pick up the statue from the ground, demanding money from the local police. They accused the officers of not taking care of the statue, relates Hotnews.ro.
The local town hall said the two youths admitted to the crime after being taken to the police station. The baby Jesus figurine was recovered near a dumpster and put back in place.
The incident, although quickly resolved, was described as "very unfortunate and not at all amusing" by the Spanish government representative in Alicante.