Six People Rescued After Being 'Kept In Farm Basement' For Years

Six people have been rescued by police after allegedly being kept captive on a farm for almost a decade.

Police searched a property in the northern province of Drenthe, in the Netherlands, after receiving a tip-off that a number of people were being kept against their will.

They were alerted after a 25-year-old man stumbled into a cafe and told employees that he had not been outside for nine years.

Speaking to RTV Drenthe, the cafe's owner Chris Westerbeek said: "You could see he had no idea where he was or what he was doing.

"He was very confused. He ordered five beers and drank them. Then I had a chat with him and he told me he had run away and needed help. Then we called the police."

Politie Drenthe

Mr Westerbeek added: "He had long hair, a dirty beard, wore old clothes and looked confused. He said he'd never been to school and hadn't been to the barber for nine years.

"He said he had brothers and sisters who lived in the farm. He said he was the oldest and wanted to end the way they were living."

Upon arriving at the property in Ruinerwold, police uncovered a staircase behind a living room cupboard which led to a cellar, where they found six people aged between 18 and 25. They also confirmed that a 58-year-old man was arrested at the scene after allegedly refusing to cooperate.

In a statement on Twitter, Dutch police said the man arrested was not the owner of the property but a tenant.

They said: "Yesterday someone reported to us who was worried about the living conditions of people in a house on the Buitenhuizerweg in #Ruinerwold."

The force later added: "We have found six adults, there is concern and attention. All scenarios are still open. Our research is in full swing and we cannot share more information at this time."

Speaking to the press, Mayor Roger de Groot said he was stunned by the whole incident.

He said: "The police assessed the situation and found a number of rooms with makeshift furnishings where the family lived a withdrawn existence. That is where the six were found.

"We have never experienced such a situation. The first care and attention goes out to those present in the home. The family is in a safe place. They need rest."

Mayor de Groot went on to commend the efforts of the cafe owner who alerted police.

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom