Kidnap and Ransom

Kidnapping is a business

“… In many areas of the world, kidnapping is now big business and Kidnappers are motivated by profit rather than principle, Economic kidnapping is one of the fastest growing criminal industries"
- Rachel Briggs
The Foreign Policy Centre

Once we understand that the basic Principles that drive us to fulfil our own expectations and performance are often ones that kidnappers perceive as being their motivation: the horrific world that envelops acts of terror become even sharper. Maybe no less easy to understand, but the framework provides focus.

The industry of kidnapping can be divided into two categories: Economic Kidnapping and Political. There are even business models inclusive of organisational networks and communications nets. But breaking down the organisation of kidnapping into easily identifiable forms can be misleading in that economic kidnapping is often employed by politically motivated groups. Either as an additional source of revenue to fund ongoing terrorist programs, or as a means sufficient of itself to further the atmosphere of fear

And that is what will always lie at the heart of kidnapping: Terror and deprivation. While Foreign Policy struggles to devise an effective deterrent to the rampant increase in the kidnapping of its expatriate citizens: There is a need for targeted individuals and corporate entities to predetermine the effective response to what is now an established risk of international business

So what would you do in this Scenario?

For you and your family It’s the very thing nightmares are made of and its only the beginning. You are an executive traveling to any dangerous region you’ve just settled down for the night: The door bursts open and four men dressed in black clothes and hoods come in brandishing handguns, screaming, "Get your heads down on the table. Now! Do it. Don't look up. Don't you look at me?"

Meanwhile at home your family and friends become victims to the psychological terror because the kidnappers are releasing photos of you with scenes of guns pointed at your head or holding up newspapers. This methodology is used as a tactic to try and soften up your families in order to come up with more money during ransom negotiations,".

Are you a Target?

Your employees? Your family? Your children? If you are considering these questions, the answer is likely yes. In obvious cases, locations and high-risk occupation, the fact that you are a potential target is readily apparent: Human Rights workers and NGOs working in dangerous environments. But in today's world civilian employees of multinationals operating in high-risk areas such as Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, even India, are in peril of kidnap. And the hazards are increasing every year.

Statistically, you reduce the risks of kidnap by employing Best Practices in personal security: Sufficient security measures and Close Protection Details to protect the principal(s) with Static and Mobile security. But there is always the chance that the worst can happen. Even with the best Close Protection in place.

Alba Consec suggests both organisations and individuals should take the time to understand the risks of relocating overseas, it's important you become familiar with the unique risks associated with living and working abroad. One risk you could easily overlook is the possibility of abduction or kidnap and ransom.

Why Kidnap?

There two main reasons you are likely to be kidnapped are: those for ransom and those for ideological or political reasons. People Kidnapped for political reasons, normally suffer the worse situation and are more likely to be killed, however they tend to be restricted to war torn areas like Iraq. Most kidnappings are carried out to get a ransom, and in most cases it's paid. As Rescues from kidnap and ransom situations are rare, largely because the authorities in most countries recognise that the safety of the victim is paramount. Kidnap and ransom situations can happen anywhere.

Kidnap and ransom demands

Ransom demands can be overwhelming, with more than 14 countries recording cases of $25,000,000 or more in recent years. Britain's Foreign Policy Centre estimates that kidnappers take home $500 million annually in ransom money from both local and expatriate kidnappings. While kidnappers usually settle for a final ransom of between 10% and 20% of the demand in certain territories, such as Russia, they may refuse to negotiate and use excessive violence to achieve their aims. Alba Consec Ltd offers extensive kidnap and ransom insurance policies offer as much security and peace of mind as is possible in the event of an abduction or kidnap and ransom demand. Fact - it's estimated that over the past six years, kidnap and ransom and abduction cases around the world have increased by over 100%.

Who would you Trust to help when the worst happens?

From the moment a kidnapping is planned: the clock has already started ticking. When a kidnapping occurs, the clock has accelerated. The moments immediately after the event of kidnap are crucial. Much depends on the correct actions of your Security Team. Alba Consec has four methods of protecting clients in the event of Kidnap

1) Kidnap avoidance training
2) K and R Insurance through our specialised insurance company
3) Negotiators to negotiate a release
4) Close protection
5) Money persons to deliver Ransom in event that a ransom needs to be paid

How does a Kidnap occur?

What you must realise is that kidnappings don’t just happen they are complex operations and therefore require careful planning to carry out. The first task for the Kidnapers is to identify whether you’re worth kidnapping -- that is to say, can you afford to pay a ransom. They also need to know the exact location that you will be at any given moment. To achieve this you’ll be placed under surveillance and, your routines and backgrounds will be analysed by the kidnappers, in order to make sure that you have sufficient money and/or access to it.

Kidnappers also study the routes and routines of their potential targets to see if that you’ll be in a predictable place at a predictable moment. This all takes careful training and an investment of time on the kidnappers’ part. In addition to the specific members of the kidnapping team who study the victims, their backgrounds, financial status, businesses, properties, employers, etc., the kidnapers also pay other members of their group to locate and maintain a secure place to hold victims until a ransom is paid. There are also associates of the kidnappers who serve the victim food and drink as well as people who speak, usually on the telephone, with the victim’s family in order to make the ransom demand and agree upon arrangements for it to be paid.

The kidnappers also need people to plan the delivery of the ransom and serve as guards as the ransom is delivered. In sum, a professional kidnapping requires a fairly large gang. To plan a specific operation, a typical kidnapping gang starts by making a rough list of 15 to 20 people or families in the area who might be worth the time invested in a kidnapping. They study these people to find out if, in fact, they have sufficient financial resources to make a kidnapping worthwhile. They narrow their list down as they find people who may not be able to pay and finally they are ready to make a detailed study of about ten potential victims.

Usually, the kidnappers place a person near the potential victim’s residence in order to observe them closely, to note his movements (i.e., when he leaves his home, and what route he follows to his office, etc.). Kidnappers know that being able to determine where the victim will be at a given moment will make their operation will be successful.

By the time the kidnappers are ready to carry out the kidnap, they have studied the victim and their family for a month to six weeks. They have planned the kidnap incident in detail, the place where the victim will be held, and the escape routes, if needed. They have practiced the operations by the clock so they know the “who, when, what, where, and how” of the operation. All of this requires a dramatic investment of time, of course. And even for kidnappers, time is money. Therefore, by the time they are ready to carry out a kidnap, they have made an investment they do not want to lose.

The Kidnapper’s Weakness = Your Strengths

Kidnapers are criminals. They are sought by police, have usually spent time in jail and know what it will mean to them to get caught again. They do not want to get caught and suffer at the hands of the police and justice system. Nor do they want to lose their investment. This combination means that they must be very careful in their preparations and make sure their operation does not fail. The truth is that their operations almost never fail. Statistics show that approximately 95% to 98% of all kidnaps attempts are successful.

Why do Kidnappers Rarely Fail

The key to kidnappers’ success was noted earlier on this page -- kidnappers have to know exactly where their victims will be at an exact moment. The vast majority of men and women who work outside the home and children or young adults who go to school get up at the same time every morning, eat breakfast at the same time, leave their homes at the same time, and follow the same routes to work or school. By doing this, they have placed themselves in the kidnappers’ hands.

Over 85% of all kidnaps for ransom all over the world take place on weekday mornings while the victim is travelling in his vehicle from his home to his office or school. If the victim follows the same routine day after day, he makes the kidnappers’ job easier.

But what happens if the potential victim suddenly changes his routine? To the kidnapper, this is not the end of the operation. By changing his routine, a potential victim will not have stopped a kidnap from taking place; he will have merely directed it to another target. The kidnapers, as explained above, do not take unusual risks. They know they are going to carry out a kidnap and they are almost always successful. But if you give them problems by abolishing your routines, they will merely cross you off their list of ten or so potential targets and go on to the next person on the list. A crime will still be committed, but by changing your routines you will have protected yourself and your family.

Confidential

Maintaining confidentiality is a keystone in any operative security measure. When related to Kidnap and Ransom it is even more of a concern. You may already be a target. But if it becomes known that you, or your company, provides Kidnap And Ransom insurance; your appeal as a victim has just increased. All staff and executive members are vetted beyond BS7858 procedures as recommended by the S.I.A. And we have our own in-house devised policies to ensure that your

For an individual and confidential assessment of your Kidnap and Ransom requirements please fill in the form below

Comprehensive, Knowledgeable & Responsive?

We have an established working relationship with an independent Insurance Specialist with over 26 years of experience in the industry. Together we can guide you through the complicated and delicate process of devising a comprehensive Kidnap and Ransom policy, including designing and providing you with the best available deterrents to Kidnap and Illegal Detention: Measures to prevent hijack and means to combat and respond to extortion threats

Kidnap and Ransom Insurance

Kidnap and ransom insurance is an area where expert knowledge and established market relationships pay dividends. A typical kidnap and ransom or abduction policy insures against:

• Ransom paid following a kidnap or threat to kill, injure, or abduct
• Hijack
• Detention
• Death or dismemberment
• Legal liability
• Crisis management team expenses
• Loss of the ransom during transit to the kidnappers
• Loss of earnings
• When arranging a kidnap and ransom insurance policy, the people insured may need to undergo a training session with the insurer's appointed crisis management team.

Kidnap Avoidance Training

Alba Consec will teach you how to avoid Kidnapping and also make sure you know how to behave during the stress of a kidnap and ransom or abduction situation, without putting yourselves at additional risk

• How and why targets are chosen
• How Kidnappings are carried out
• Be Alert
• React
• Randomise your schedules
• Randomise your routes of travel
• Hostage Negotiators

A Hostage Negotiator is responsible for dealing with hostage incidents through negotiations. He/she uses hostage negotiation skills in hostage incidents, including, kidnapping, extortion and other incidents where negotiations are necessary to ensure the safety of a person.

Hostage Negotiators are functional police members and perform this function as a secondary function on a voluntary basis

Close Protection

Close Protection is one method of protecting yourself from the threat of Kidnap as, please click here to learn more about it.