Denmark: bridges and ferries closed amid ‘major’ police hunt

Bridges and boat services connecting Denmark’s largest island to the rest of the country and neighbouring Sweden were shut down today as police race to apprehend a vehicle wanted in connection with a “serious crime”.

Zealand, home to Copenhagen, became the scene of an enormous police operation on Friday afternoon as major thoroughfares were closed, leading to huge traffic jams.

The Oresund Bridge which links Denmark and Sweden, the setting of Nordic noir thriller The Bridge, was shut as police hunted a rented black Volvo V90 registered in Sweden.

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The Great Belt Bridge, a major artery which links Zealand to the island of Funen, was also closed to traffic, and ferry and train services were suspended.

The authorities took the unusually extreme measures to prevent the escape of suspects they say are wanted in connection to a “serious crime”.

In a statement, Copenhagen Police urged members of the public not to engage with the vehicle or its passengers, but to report any sightings immediately.

The nature of the crime has not been disclosed, but Swedish daily Aftonbladet suggested that the incident was a kidnapping, citing an unnamed police source. The newspaper also reports that the vehicle was stolen from Malmo airport, in Sweden, on 1 August.

Former head of Denmark’s security service Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen told reporters that the scale of the police response was unprecedented.

“I was in the Danish police for 41 years, and I have never seen an operation like this before,” he said.

The lock-down lasted around two hours, the Washington Post reports. All bridges have now been re-opens and ferry and rail services are resuming operations. The status of the vehicle and its passengers remains unknown.