Police said the incident occurred at about 10pm last night when the teenage boy was walking home alone from a night out with friends along the Esplanade, near Yarrum Grove, Somerton Park.

A white sedan containing four Caucasian men unknown to him pulled up and proceeded to drive alongside the victim asking if he wanted a lift.

Detective Chief Inspector Baggoley said the victim declined multiple times.

“He continued to walk, the white sedan stopped, and the two men exited the car,” Baggoley said.

After the victim again declined an offer of a lift, two men, described as being aged in their early 30s to early 40s, forced the teenager into the back seat of the car, before driving off.

Baggoley said the vehicle was then driven for approximately two minutes through Glenelg South and Somerton Park before the boy made his escape through an unlocked door at the roundabout of Pier Street and Partridge Street, Glenelg.

He ran home and alerted police. He was not pursued.

The victim described the two men in the backseat as being aged in their early 30s to 40s.

Detective Chief Inspector Baggoley addresses the media. Photo: Supplied/SA Police

The first suspect is described as being in his late 30s to early 40s, about 190 cm tall, with a large build and a bit of a belly.  He had a full black beard with a large amount of grey in it and was wearing a dark grey hoodie.

The second suspect is described as a bit younger and shorter than the first man.  He has a muscular build and was wearing a white beanie and an orange t-shirt.

“Through the journey, the occupants of the vehicle did not speak to the boy despite the boy repeatedly asking to get out of the car. He was not physically hurt in the car, he was not verbally threatened in the car and he was not robbed. He literally was asking to get out, and the men did not say anything,” Baggoley said.

“At the moment we’ve got a 17-year-old boy who has been grabbed from the side of the road. Until we hear an explanation as to why we will continue to treat this matter as seriously as it’s been reported.”

Baggoley said the set of circumstances in this incident made it highly unusual.

“We’re trying to understand the motives we’re trying to emphasize the fact that this is not a common incident where you take 17-year-old boy off the streets, where you don’t ask for anything, where you are not known to that person and when no threats are made and no robberies occur. So that’s what we’re trying to understand why this has occurred.

“We are imploring members of the public. If you have any information that will assist us in the investigation of this incident to please contact crime stoppers.”