There is still a lot of unclear about the kidnapping of a 24-year-old man, Friday around midnight at the Dr. Schaepmanlaan in Breda. It is suspected that it is a targeted action, but the police don’t want to say much about it anymore. Criminologist Jasper van der Kemp gives a book about what is playing behind the scenes at the police in a kidnapping such as that in Breda. “All those tips are a big challenge, but you need them as a police.”
When a report of a kidnapping comes to the police, it is first examined how serious this report is. “Of course we also know cases where people are taken by friends during a bachelor party,” says Van der Kemp, criminologist at the VU University Amsterdam.
If it turns out to be a serious kidnapping, the police first of all look at what information there is about the victim. “We know that abductions occur relatively often in the criminal circuit, as a form of threat or temporary extortion. That does not have to be the case in this case, but it is a question that the police ask themselves. It may mean that you In certain circles, it has to be searched, “says Van der Kemp. “And it is looked at whether someone has his phone with them, what the number is and whether the phone can be followed.”
Not every kidnapping is seen by bystanders, but in Breda that was the case. “Then of course the police want to know what bystanders have seen, what happened and what kind of vehicle it was,” says Van der Kemp. The latter is important because the police can immediately view camera images of surrounding roads. “The Netherlands has a fairly extensive system of automatic license plate registrations. With many larger roads, there are cameras with which license plates are registered, so that you can trace a car.”
“You shouldn’t even exclude that it is a mistake.”
In addition to all these types of steps, the police think about why someone was abducted. “Is that person wealthy or is he who is dealing with wealthy people? Kidnapping is often about money and sometimes for revenge, or perhaps even relational issues. So how quickly can you find out what the background of the victim is and what scenarios can be behind the abduction There is of course anything possible.
The police also take into account that kidnappers will contact family or those involved. Especially if they want to get something done. “Within the criminal circuit, someone is often held briefly. This is a loan or threat,” says Van der Kemp. “When it comes to ransom or something else, the hostages have already thought of in advance where they take someone with them and hold. Then it can take a little longer.”
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In the case of the 24-year-old man who has been abducted in Breda, there is almost because he needs medication. “Not taking medication can result in death,” the police soon said. According to Van der Kemp, the police do that, among other things, so that hostages also get this information.
It is not known which medication the victim needs. “And the question is whether the hostages can arrange the medicines and they want to take that risk. On the other hand, the question is whether they want to take the risk of not taking the medication and having problems with the victim. “
“A large part of the tips are often not relevant.”
The police deliberately do not announce which medicines the victim needs because of privacy reasons. According to Van der Kemp, they are selective with information anyway. “As a police, you don’t want to suggest that you already know something or not. You release information that you think can be useful to get tips on that, such as the location and the vehicle.”
There are tips about the kidnapping in Breda in the police. “A large part of the tips are often not relevant. The police look at every tip or it is realistic. If someone says they saw the van from Breda an hour later in Groningen, then that is simply not possible,” says Van der Kemp . “All those tips are a big challenge, but you need them as a police.”
In the next stage, the police can get behavioral experts. “These are usually investigative psychologists with the police who are involved in risk and threat. They look at what risks are playing and what kidnappers are in danger of. What do the kidnappers ask and they contact someone?” Van der Kemp explains. “Whether there are already behavioral experts involved in the kidnapping in Breda, I find it difficult to estimate, but those are options.”
The police investigated in the parking lot on Friday night: