Police have not received any missing-person reports. The incident may have been a kidnapping, or a prank or hoax.
Downey Police officers responded quickly, minutes after witnesses reported the abduction. When they arrived there was no sign of the victim or the kidnappers, who drove west on Rosecrans in a light-colored Lincoln Town Car.
Since no missing-persons reports have been received, the investigation was at a standstill Friday evening.
"As of right now, we don't have any reports of any victims, so investigators are looking into the possibility of outside agencies with reports of missing persons, but our department does not have any reports of missing persons at this time," said a Downey Police Lt. Phil Rego.
Witnesses Thursday night saw the kidnapping. They said the victim fought back but was overpowered by the two men in yellow ski masks.
"They kind of hustled him very 'cartel-style' -- they just threw him in the car," said one witness. "He was struggling. His change fell all over the ground. They were wearing ski masks, and it looked pretty organized. They threw him in the car and took off in 15 seconds."
Witnesses told police the driver of the Town Car was an Hispanic man in his 20s with a shaved head. They said the victim was also Hispanic, in his late 20s, tall, weighing about 200 pounds.
"We're treating it as a kidnapping until we find out different," said Rego. "Right now our investigators are looking into the possibility of a kidnapping. We're looking into every avenue we can right now."
There are surveillance cameras outside the Subway restaurant. Police said the cameras were pointed in the opposite direction of where the car pulled into the lot.
Anyone with information related to this case was urged to call the Downey Police Department at (562) 904-2324.
