Police find truck stolen from transport driver in Arque

Police recovered a Volvo F-7 truck in Chapapani, in the Cochabamba municipality of Arque, hours after its driver reported a violent robbery on the road between Confital and Lacuyo.

José Antonio Morales Arroyo said four men intercepted him around 7 p.m. Monday after posing as officers from Bolivia’s Special Force to Fight Crime. He said they displayed firearms, accused him of transporting drugs and ordered him to stop the truck.

The men allegedly forced Morales out, tied him with plastic restraints and threatened to kill him. He said he asked to see their police credentials, but they continued the operation and took the white-and-blue truck, license plate 1600-PPI. The vehicle was carrying ammonia and was headed to Oruro.

Morales said the attackers later took him to an isolated area and left him with his hands and feet tied. He managed to free himself partially and reached Confital with help from another driver. Around 10 p.m., he reported the robbery at a police checkpoint, saying the men had also taken personal belongings, including his cellphone.

Police escorted the recovered truck from Chapapani. The investigation now focuses on identifying the four attackers and determining how they moved the vehicle there. Authorities are also examining whether the suspects knew what cargo the truck carried and used fake clothing or documents to impersonate police officers.