Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Met blames drug gangs for big rise in kidnappings

Jason Bennetto,Crime Correspondent
Tuesday 22 August 2000 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Crime gangs are increasingly turning to kidnapping as a way of making money, with one ransom demand being made every week in London, a senior Scotland Yard detective revealed yesterday.

Crime gangs are increasingly turning to kidnapping as a way of making money, with one ransom demand being made every week in London, a senior Scotland Yard detective revealed yesterday.

Armed robbery is also making a comeback with the emergence of a new breed of young street criminal who has progressed to bank, betting shop, and security van hold-ups.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Coles, who is head of the Metropolitan Police's 400-strong Serious and Organised Crime Squad, believes the rise in the two crimes is partly because criminals mistakenly believe police are understaffed, demoralised, and "on the back foot".

Det Ch Supt Coles said the number of cases of kidnapping in the capital rose last year by 500 per cent. He said 60 per cent of the kidnaps this year have involved drug gangs trying to extort money from the families of rival dealers and addicts in debt.

About 30 kidnaps have been reported to the Met so far this year, compared with 72 reported to the National Criminal Intelligence Service for the whole of Britain in 1999, which was almost twice as many as the previous year. Det Ch Supt Coles said: "We deal with about one a week, whereas before it was one every two or three months."

Most incidents this year have been by drug gangs - known as "bad on bad" - who demand ransoms ranging from £500 to £20,000 from the families of their captives. "In some cases they are prepared to go the full hog and kill the victim," said Det Ch Supt Coles.

Last year a large part of the kidnap problem was caused by Chinese "Snakehead" gangs, who are paid to smuggle Chinese immigrants into Britain, then kidnap them and demand ransoms from their families.Last year about 60 per cent of the kidnap cases were linked to Snakeheads, but so far this year there has only been one incident. Police believe many of the gangs have moved to other cities with big Chinese populations following a successful crackdown on their activities in the capital.

Det Ch Supt Coles added that "traditional" kidnaps in which criminals hold the member of a rich family ransom happen only "once in a blue moon".

Another trend identified by the police squad is a move by young street robbers into more serious armed crime. Det Ch Supt Coles explained: "Some of the street robbers have jumped the league to other types of commercial premises at a much earlier age than in the past."

Bank and building society robbers and raids on security vans carrying cash have increased by more than 70 per cent in the first seven months of this year compared with the same period last year. Armed robberies in London rose from 1,019 in the year ending April 1999 to 1,410 the following year.

Det Ch Supt Coles said: "The villains think we are under-resourced... but they are under a misconception... We have a 100 per cent clear-up rate of kidnaps reported to us."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in