Express Kidnapping: The New Form of Unlawful Imprisonment

casoabierto.com Express kidnapping is a new method of criminal restraint used by bands of sicarios in the service of mafia networks. In express kidnappings, the victim remains only a few hours in the hands of his or her captors. Generally, the kidnappings are executed by small groups of delinquents, composed of two or three individuals, who hold the victim captive for no longer than 48 hours. This is because they lack the infrastructure necessary for carrying out traditional kidnappings. The most alarming thing about express kidnapping is the profile of the potential victim; no longer are the

wealthy the sole targets, but also the middle class.

For some time, express kidnapping has been gaining popularity among organized gangs because it doesn’t require a large infrastructure. This kidnapping technique, born in Latin America, permits criminals to act in reduced groups and almost always take away considerable loot. Proof of its efficiency are police statistics showing that in 2006, in Madrid alone there occurred one express kidnapping every two days.

Although there does exist a minimum of premeditation, criminals choose their victims almost at random. Any indicator of buying power, such as an upscale auto, jewelry or latest generation cellular phone, can become fateful criteria for being chosen as a victim.

Those who perpetrate this type of attack usually operate in groups of two or three, generally working out of a vehicle. They aren’t after much more than to make a quick buck, less than they would be able to in a traditional, large-scale kidnapping. The swiftness of the crime is the key to its popularity and practice in the criminal world.

Modus Operandi

The modus operandi of the kidnappers is very simple: first they approach the victim, in the street or at their business; they take them in their car, or the victim’s. Then they obligate them to withdraw money from an ATM, take their belongings, and intimidate them with blows and threats. They steal the victim’s personal identification and quickly contact their family to demand the payment of a ransom within a few hours, or at most a couple of days. They always make it clear that the victim’s safety depends on there being no police intervention.

Not having the infrastructure to detain victims for longer than 48 hours, express kidnappers usually ask for relatively small quantities of money. It’s calculated that the sum they generally end up receiving, following negotiations with the family, rarely exceeds 15,000 euros.

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