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Delorean: ‘The Threat of Death Was Real’ During Virtual Kidnapping

delorean, virtual kidnapping

Delorean have issued an official statement regarding their thwarted “virtual kidnapping” in Mexico City. According to the Basque band, they received a call at their hotel room from someone who claimed to be a hotel security officer. “We were informed that there was a security threat at the hotel,” the foursome write on Facebook. “What followed for the next 30 hours was an experience where the threat of death was real due to the psychological manipulation inflicted on us by our kidnappers. Thanks to the fantastic work of the National Police in Spain, Ertzantza, Interpol and the Federal Police in Mexico, we were successfully rescued yesterday morning.”

As SPIN noted previously, Delorean were stationed in Mexico City to play the local edition of Montreal’s MUTEK festival. Police sources said that an unidentified caller contacted members of the band’s family located in Guipuzkoa, Spain, and claimed that Delorean were being held hostage (via El País). The culprits were reportedly demanding a ransom of 5 million pesos, which translates to about $380,000.

According to El País, the band was lured to another hotel by the kidnappers, who then instructed the musicians to withdraw money from their bank accounts so they could purchase new cell phones; the fresh mobile devices were only supposed to be used to keep in touch with the kidnappers. The members of Delorean were also forced to destroy their own cell phones, so as to prevent contact with family, friends, and professional associates. Thankfully, after being subjected to a series of menacing, threatening phone calls that gave them the impression they were under surveillance, the men of Delorean were discovered by law enforcement authorities and freed. 

A representative for the band told SPIN that a handful of upcoming tour dates have been canceled, including an October 9 show in Seattle; an October 10 gig in Portland; an October 11 date in Vancouver; and an October 14 performance in Minneapolis. For a full list of concerts still scheduled to take place, consult the group’s Facebook page.  

Read Delorean’s statement on the “virtual kidnapping” in full below.

On Monday morning October 7th we received a phone call at our hotel room in Mexico City from a person posing as a hotel security officer. We were informed that there was a security threat at the hotel.

What followed for the next 30 hours was an experience where the threat of death was real due to the psychological manipulation inflicted on us by our kidnappers. Thanks to the fantastic work of the National Police in Spain, Ertzantza, Interpol and the  Federal Police in Mexico, we were successfully rescued yesterday morning. 

While it would be convenient to blame Mexico, that would not be sound. This could have occurred anywhere in the world. Our hope is that this situation will bring attention to the abuse that we were subjected to by our kidnappers, so that other travelers do not fall victim in the future.

This has been extremely difficult for us and our families. At this time we have no further comment and we ask that you respect our privacy so that we can return to normality in our lives.