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Police: Man Abducted From Auto Detailing Shop, Quickly Released In Apparent Case Of Mistaken Identity

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PENN HILLS (KDKA) -- Police say a man in Penn Hills was abducted Wednesday evening, but the suspects apparently later realized he wasn't the person they were after.

Justin Yingling, owner of Yingling Garage Doors and Openers in the 4000 block of Verona Road, says he sees a lot along the busy stretch of road, but what he witnessed Wednesday night was both unusual and unnerving.

KDKA's Lindsay Ward Reports:

 

"And I look over here and these two guys are running across the street with their arms behind them saying, basically, 'Help us out,'" Yingling said.

Those two men were restrained with plastic zip ties.

The two men had been with a third man at Verona Car Spa, an auto detailing shop across the street from Yingling's business.

Two assailants allegedly zip-tied all three men, kidnapped one and took off with him in a vehicle, leaving the other two behind.

verona car spa
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

"He said, 'They took my brother,' and you could tell he was scared a little bit," Yingling said. "And it was real hard to cut [the zip ties] off too because they were so tight. I could barely get the knife in there. I thought I was going to cut them."

After Yingling cut them loose, they alerted police and officers zoomed in.

Penn Hills Police later told KDKA the whole crime was a case of mistaken identity.

When the kidnappers realized they had the wrong man, they set him free about a mile away.

No one was seriously hurt.

Police haven't released any information about charges or suspects.

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