The man tried to save himself by clinging onto a drainpipe (Picture: SWNS)
A vigilant homeowner checking his CCTV footage was shocked to see a gang of masked thugs dragging a man into a waiting van and driving off.
Ali Rafiq, 40, decided to investigate after hearing strange noises outside his home in Bradford last Wednesday.
One camera, overlooking the pavement on a quiet row of terraced houses, caught two men appearing from behind a parked red van shortly after 11am.
On a second camera, the pair – one wearing a hi-vis jacket, the other a blue jumper – could be seen walking casually down an alleyway before three masked men run in after them.
The victim initially appears calm around one of his would-be kidnappers (Picture: SWNS)
He follows the man into an alleyway before the apparent ambush, which happens off-screen (Picture: SWNS)
Moments later, the man in the hi-vis jacket can be seen jogging back out into the road.
He is quickly followed by the three masked men, who are now carrying the man in the blue jumper as he kicks and struggles to free himself.
At one point, the victim grabs onto a drainpipe and holds on so tightly that it tears off the building as he is dragged away.
Mr Rafiq told MailOnline: ‘I felt guilty as I had been at home at the time and thought I heard somebody moaning and groaning – but I just thought it was an argument.
The pair are followed in by three masked running men (Picture: SWNS)
The group is then seen dragging the victim out of the alleyway (Picture: SWNS)
They then drag him into the van, slam the door shut and drive off (Picture: SWNS)
‘It was only when I watched the footage back I realised what had happened and immediately phoned police.
‘Had I not been at home and watched it back nobody would have known it happened – it’s very scary.’
It’s thought the man has since been found, although this could not immediately be confirmed.
West Yorkshire Police said: ‘Police are investigating a report of kidnap after a man suffered injuries on Westcroft Road, Bradford at around 11.10am on Wednesday 6 March.
‘The victim suffered injuries to his jaw and ribs.
‘Enquiries are ongoing by Bradford CID.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.