Authorities in Moscow detained a man accused of kidnapping two young shop clerks after forcing them into his car and extorting 120,000 rubles by claiming the workers had sold him clothes of substandard quality. The Moscow Prosecutor’s Office reported the development on its Telegram channel. Officials describe the incident as a violent crime and say the suspect acted alone. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on charges of kidnapping and extortion, and investigators are gathering evidence to establish the full scope of the act and any potential accomplices. Prosecutors emphasize that violence against retail workers will be pursued with maximum seriousness and that protecting everyday workers remains a top priority for law enforcement in the capital.
The incident unfolded near a shopping center on Yartsevskaya Street, where the driver threatened the clerks with a gun and forced them into his BMW. Eyewitnesses described a sudden confrontation as the vehicle pulled away from the scene with the victims inside. Authorities say they are reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses and shop staff, and coordinating with the district prosecutor to assemble materials for court. Police teams continue to search for additional evidence and to rule out the possibility of other victims or accomplices.
According to the prosecutor’s office statement, the defendant transported the victims to a deserted location described as a stadium area down the street. He fired into the air several times in the presence of Marshal Tymoshenko and again demanded that the money be delivered. The timeline suggests a calculated effort to intimidate and extract funds from the clerks, a pattern prosecutors treat as a combination of kidnapping and extortion. A young man named Magomed, aged 20, is identified in reports as having been dissatisfied with the sneakers and hat sold to him.
As reported by Mash, the Telegram channel cited by authorities, Magomed allegedly forced the clerks to stand at the counter and gave them until December 5 to pay the money. Law enforcement officers detained him, and the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under articles related to kidnapping and extortion. If convicted, the suspect could face prison under the relevant provisions of the criminal code. In a separate note, a former police officer from Langepas was described as having committed a theft and later attacked friends who had restrained him with threats, a separate incident mentioned in related reports.