Stolen lorry recovered in Arque: four fake police officers tied up the driver
Police found the Volvo F-7 in Chapapani after it was stolen on the night of 31 August in an armed robbery on the Confital-Lacuyo route.
Volvo lorry carrying ammonia cargo recovered in Chapapani following assault by fake police officers
Police recovered in the community of Chapapani, municipality of Arque, the white and blue Volvo F-7 lorry—licence plate 1600-PPI—that had been stolen on the night of Monday, 31 August on the road between Confital and Lacuyo. According to El Deber, the vehicle was found hours after the driver reported the assault at a police control point.
Haulage driver José Antonio Morales Arroyo recounted that around 19:00 on Monday, four men intercepted him on a country road between Confital and Lacuyo. The men were carrying firearms and identified themselves as officers of the Special Force Against Crime (Felcc). They forced him to stop the lorry, ordered him to get out, and bound him with plastic cable ties.
During the process, the individuals accused Morales of transporting drugs and threatened him with death. The driver demanded that they show him their police credentials, but the robbers continued with their operation and took possession of the vehicle. The lorry was carrying a cargo of ammonia destined for Oruro.
After being held for several hours, Morales was taken to a remote, abandoned location and left with his hands and feet tied. He managed to partially free himself and, with the help of another driver, reached the Confital area. Around 22:00 he presented himself at a police control point, where he reported the theft. In addition to the vehicle, the robbers took some of his belongings, including his mobile phone.
Police personnel travelled to Chapapani to recover and escort the lorry. The investigation is now focused on identifying the four men who participated in the assault and establishing how they transported the vehicle to that community. Authorities will also need to determine whether those responsible had prior information about the cargo and whether they used false clothing or documentation to pose as police officers.
Source: El Deber