On the morning of Thursday, April 18, a cash-in-transit driver on duty in Switzerland became the target of a deeply troubling robbery scenario. Criminals broke into his home in Chêne-en-Semine, in the Ain department of France, and took his partner and their 18-month-old daughter hostage—a kidnapping aimed at pressuring him during his cash delivery route.
At around 4 a.m., the driver left his home to begin his shift transporting cash across the border. Shortly after his departure, a surveillance alert flagged a break-in. Three masked individuals had entered the residence, quickly abducting the man’s partner and their child before forcing them into a vehicle. The two hostages were later held roughly 100 kilometers away.
The abductors immediately contacted the driver, threatening him and ordering him to carry out his route as planned, without alerting the authorities. They demanded he provide precise details about his vehicle to enable tracking—an intimidation tactic likely meant to facilitate a potential robbery during his delivery.
Despite the psychological pressure, the driver kept his composure and discreetly alerted the French gendarmerie. Around an hour and a half later, his partner and child were found safe, abandoned on a rural roadside near Laperrouse, about 120 kilometers from their home.
A disturbing method
The case, described as extremely rare by investigators, has left the local community in shock. “It’s mind-blowing. Being kidnapped in your own home, with a child… We don’t feel safe anymore,” said a stunned neighbor.
No money was stolen by the perpetrators, and their exact motives remain unclear. Investigators will need to determine how the assailants identified the driver, especially since such roles are typically kept anonymous for security reasons.
The French gendarmerie is leading the investigation, with support from Swiss police. No theory has been ruled out—including the possibility of inside involvement.