A teenage boy has managed to escape unhurt after being forced into a car by four men in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

At about 10pm on Thursday, the 17-year-old was walking along the Esplanade at Somerton Park when a white car stopped alongside.

The four men spoke to the boy before two got out and forced him into the back seat and drove off.

Police said when the car slowed at a roundabout the teenager was able to get out and run home, with his family then contacting police.

He was not physically harmed during the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Kieran Baggoley said the incident was unusual as the youth was not restrained while in the car, was not threatened and there was no robbery of any kind.

He said detectives were checking CCTV footage and urged the men involved to come forward.

“We have repeatedly spoken with the victim and his family this morning and they are very cooperative,” Insp Baggoley said.

“We are treating this as a genuine abduction and we will continue to investigate it as such.

“We have no reason to think it hasn’t happened in the manner described by the victim.”

The alleged offenders were described as aged in their 30s to early 40s.

Insp Baggoley said all possible motives for the incident were being considered but there is nothing to suggest it was anything other than a random attack.

By Tim Dornin in Adelaide