Coutts Woman

Kidnap

Author: Barbara Walshe

In the past, kidnap attempts have unfolded mostly in films, hit TV shows like CSI and Without a Trace, or tabloid newspapers where ‘foiled’ attempts on high profile families such as the Beckhams are splashed across their front pages.  Today, they’re becoming much more mainstream.

Real-life stories continue to emerge, like the escape of kidnap victim Natascha Kampush last month after eight years of captivity, and the innocent civilians and journalists (such as the two currently from Fox News) kidnapped during war and conflict.

Here in the UK, MD of the Security Consulting at Kroll, Heyrick Bond-Gunning, says that although kidnap is not as widespread as it is in more traditional countries like Latin America, the Indian Subcontinent, and South Asia, the UK Metropolitan police still deal with at least one kidnap per week.

Most of these are criminal gangs exerting pressure on other criminal gangs, or what the police refer to as ‘Tiger Kidnaps’.  Bond-Gunning cites the Securitas money theft in Kent earlier this year as an example of Tiger Kidnapping, where the family was threatened in order to gain access to the bank.

“Family and children are our most valued possessions and therefore an excellent point of leverage for criminals,” says Bond-Gunning.  As a result, Kroll has developed its own Kidnap for Ransom service which focuses on both kidnap prevention and kidnap negotiation.  On kidnap prevention, services include awareness training, consulting and installing hi-tech home security systems, and hiring bodyguards.

Bond-Gunning says Kroll take a very consultative approach on personal security.  “We do a lifestyle review of an individual or family, spending half a day with them before writing up a report on the potential dangers and security threats they face.  We then advise them on the security measures we think they should be taking and they decide on the level they want – surveillance cameras, alarms, sophisticated key systems – all types of security that blend with the exterior or interior of a house.  The idea is to make things as easy as possible for these people.”

Meanwhile, in extreme kidnap and hostage situations, Kroll deal with the ‘process’ of getting the victim back.  “They are usually snatched by a group and then handed over to the proper kidnappers.  They are then taken to whatever hiding place that has been decided on, and the process begins.  The kidnappers will demand a ransom and we will demand proof of life.  Then the negotiation will start over time and money.”

This can last anything from a week to three months or even six months, he says.  During that time, Kroll will usually have two people on duty, listening to the radio system for a message from the kidnapers.

“Family and children are our most valued possessions and therefore an excellent point of leverage for criminals,”

“It is far less glamorous than it looks in the movies.  Communication always comes in fits and starts.  Sometimes, you might not hear from them for several weeks.  The less professional kidnappers expect everything to happen straight away and that is when things get messy.”

If a professional outfit does the kidnap, they know it takes time to negotiate terms and conditions, he says: “Because if everyone paid up, then it would be the easiest most lucrative crime in the world.”

Case Study - A close call for Katie

 

Katie, a recent client of Kroll, attended a four-hour security awareness training course before travelling through South American on her gap year.  This was enough to thwart a kidnap attempt.  Heyrick Bond-Gunning explains… 

“She was working in Brazil, staying in the beautiful house of some wealthy friends of her parents.  She knew that she should not set a routine because if you do, it can allow someone to get to know your movements.  The idea is to keep them guessing, vary your lifestyle, timings and modes of transport and invitations you accept.  But, inevitably, a certain amount of routine became the norm. 

“On a dark Friday night, she was travelling home in a taxi after another long day at work when she noticed some of the street lights on her road had been broken.  She then noticed an abandoned car and two people walking towards her house.  She called the house and the police, feeling something wasn’t right. 

“When the two noticed she wasn’t leaving the taxi, they started toward it.  At that moment, the police sirens sounded, and they suddenly ran in the opposite direction.  The police inspected the abandoned car and deduced that it had been stolen, hot-wired and they believed was going to be used as part of a kidnap.  She had avoided a seemingly ‘natural’ car breakdown developing into a kidnap.  But it had been a close shave.”