Tiger Kidnaps

T

taskmaster2008

Full Registered User
Just thought i would post this to generate reactions!!!

Definately an area of crime on the increase within the province, statistics proving hard to get but i am working on it.

PSNI are floundering on the edge due to huge budget reductions?? a fact which indeed is true but really are they struggling to cope within certain areas of crime?

A dangerous place for unarmed CP operatives ?? armed terriosts still operating within both communties could there be a niche or is it still too dangerous to even contemplate CP teams



A woman and her two young children have been kidnapped during a robbery of tens of thousands of pounds in Lisburn.
A number of men called at their Hannahstown home, on the outskirts of Belfast, on Thursday morning and forced them into a blue Ford Transit van.
The woman's partner, who works for a large retail company in Sprucefield, was told to drive his car to work and take money from a safe.
He was then told to take the money to a silver or grey Vauxhall Corsa nearby.
That car had a sticker with the Scottish flag on the back.
The woman and her children escaped unharmed but were shaken by their ordeal. The van has been recovered by police for forensic examination.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who saw the blue van in Hannahstown or the Boucher Road area on Thursday morning.
It is understood the van was stolen from Garvagh, County Londonderry, on 16 September.

Not posted to offend any serving/retired police officers within the forum!!

Thoughts and reactions eagerly awaited!!

!"£t what have i started

TASKMASTER2008
 
We have been noting this for the past year,problems we have found are.
1) People are not willing to spend the money for protection
2) People don't know what they want
3) Until the SIA come into force Dec 2009,anyone can claim to be CP Trained.
4) 75% of enquires from locals for chauffeur work have the attitude that, "to expensive, just get a value cab (local minicab) with a Mercedes"
I think we are about 8 years behind on things like this, we can't have a fleet of cars to put teams into. We have a list of owner drivers with the LWB S-Class, and a list of CP Officers. My own vehicle is PSV'ed as a Taxi and had to be tested with a Taxi roof sign, we have tried to get acknowledged, but the DOE just say, if you are being paid to transport people you are a Taxi and should have plates all over it, if not and you are stopped you are breaking the law.
We haven't had any problems, but that is what the law is over here.

Alan
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Tiger Kidnappings have been a regular occurrance in Northern Ireland for some time now.Going back to the Northern Bank affair a local security company in Belfast provided protection to staff that were assessed to be at threat from tiger kidnapping.This contract went on for some time.
In regards to the PSNI struggling to cope with this threat that does not suprise me one bit.However I for one wouldnt lay the blame on budget cuts.I would blame it on the state of the force itself.
Certainly the force has gone through a massive transformation from RUC to PSNI .It is my belief that the force is being restructured to mirror image a "normall" force .This is not the case as stated by taskmaster so rightly stated armed terrs are still operating.These are not some inner city gang member but highly trained murdering terrorist with many years experience in targeting and conducting operations.
Sorry I may have gone off the topic somewhat !!!!!
As for alanuk's post I agree that we are a number of years behind on the points mentioned.
 
TAKEN FROM A BELFAST TELEGRAPH REPORT IN 2007

Violent 'tiger' kidnap gangs are turning their guns away from cash-in-transit companies and towards staff of large retailers, a detective last night warned.
The cop in charge of busting the gangs behind brutal kidnap robberies warned that shop staff are increasingly likely to have their families taken hostage as the number of such robberies rises.
The gang that police believe was Ulster's "top tiger kidnap gang" and responsible for a series of vicious robberies worth millions on cash-in-transit vans is currently behind bars awaiting trial.
But while cash-in-transit robberies have fallen, high value retailers such as jewellers are fresh targets for new gangs.
The trend was highlighted with the attempted robbery of a wholesale jeweller in south Belfast last December.
The attack on prominent restaurateur Eddie Fung at his home last month may also have been a botched attempt by a tiger kidnap gang to go after the local business community.
Detective Superintendent Esmond Adair warned: "Mainly, tiger kidnaps were aimed at the cash-in-transit companies and banks and post offices.
"What we are seeing more recently is that it is developing into the retail sector, jewellers and thing like that, which is a worrying trend.
"It's very difficult to prevent. Every firm that is involved with cash is at risk.
"We took out the top gang in relation to tiger kidnaps and what is significant about that is that there hasn't been any tiger kidnaps in relation to cash-in-transit sector since they have been incarcerated."
Sunday Life understands that among charges faced by that gang are those relating to the £1.2m robbery of Brinks in April 2005 in which a man's family was taken hostage and he was forced to hand over cash.
It's understood they also face charges out of the £500,000 robbery in September 2003, in which a Securicor employee's family were taken hostage from their home near Downpatrick by armed men.
Recently, security minister Paul Goggins told the House of Commons that police in Northern Ireland were fighting to obtain better intelligence on gangs, as the number of tiger kidnappings continued to creep up over the last 12 months.
However, Det Supt Adair estimates that - with what he believes are the most prolific big money gangs off the streets - only a small number of gangs in Northern Ireland are capable of carrying out tiger kidnappings.
"Tiger kidnap is a specialised criminal activity.
"We have seen some career criminals come up through the ranks of other criminality and develop their expertise in terms of tiger kidnaps.
"But it's a specialised kind of offence.
"Not everybody would have the wherewithal to do it."
Their surveillance know-how - hence the name tiger kidnapping, as robbers stalk their prey - is matched by their skills at avoiding leaving forensic clues behind.
"They are very forensically aware," he added.
"We are finding gangs that are carrying out tiger kidnaps are taking the trouble to use bleach to clean the whole house.
"So they certainly have a high level of sophistication."
[h2]One step ahead of police and ARA [/h2]
While the victims of tiger kidnappings are left to suffer the mental scars of their terrifying ordeals, the robbers are living the high life on foreign beaches.
While some robberies have netted gangs hundreds of thousands, many return much smaller sums, which the hoods immediately pump into their lavish lifestyle.
"In terms of the people involved, a lot of them spend their money on lifestyle.
"As they rob someone they dispose of it on their lifestyle, going on expensive holidays, etc," says Det Supt Adair.
The bigger players move the cash out of Northern Ireland, to try to keep a step ahead of cops or the Assets Recovery Agency.
Sunday Life is aware of one major tiger robber who when cops raided his home among the items they found was a very well read copy of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
"It's very likely (they launder proceeds over the border)," says Det Supt Adair.
"In fact, some of the gangs we have looked at, we have carried out a joint financial investigation into their assets where they could be identified and quite a few of them do not keep their money in Northern Ireland.
"We do know that some of them have money hidden away."
 
Im really into this post ... a simple internet search and a tiger gang can get potential targets ...although this list is 3 years old....

RankValue (£m)NameSource of wealth2004 Rank2004 Value (£m)15,100Hilary Weston and familyRetailingNEWN/A21,328Sir Tony O'Reilly and Chryss GoulandrisFood, media and inheritance21,26831,300John DorranceInheritance11,30041,002Dermot DesmondFinance38465810Sean Quinn and familyQuarries, hotels, insurance and industry47716780Tony Ryan and familyAirline56837656Thomas FlatleyPropertyNEWN/A8520John MagnierBloodstock and property65009460Martin NaughtonIndustry1031010440U2Music7426
 
Tiger Kidnappings are a bit of problem down south to, it would seem that the paramilitaries skill sets are still being used.

Heno
 
Guys,

Agreed that Tiger Kidnappings are on the increase but within the CP role I do not see companies or individuals spending money on protection unless there is a specific threat. If there was a threat the Police would probably be called in. The unarmed CP operator would be no match against these well trained/rehearsed criminals. The criminals have a large pot to pick from so the ball most of the time is in their park.

TommyS
 
Fair enough Tommy but in the case of the Northern Bank raid in Belfast ,a threat assement concluded that a number of managers were at threat from tiger gangs ,the police did not have the resources and I would say that is still the case ,so as I stated earlier a private security /surveillance company was contracted to provide security to these managers (physical,home and counter surveillance).
Also I think if someone was concerned about the threat of tiger gangs enough and had the means to pay for it they would .
I know one business man so concerned of the chance of his family been kidnapped has invested in a safe room in his home and has had some very and discreet electronic security measures installed after having an assment done by a person with knowledge in the security field .
 
I'm pretty sure the banks can afford to pay, or at least share the burden for the cost of protection instead of it being left to the Police to foot the bill. They do, after all make bucket loads of cash despite what they say about the credit crunch.

Heno.
 
Fluffy,

You know these are determined and ruthless criminals, security, visible or not will only put them off the specific job they have decided to recce. If anything is spotted they will just look at another job. Without detailed int the Police cannot do anything. I was not aware that there was int before the Northern Bank job. If there was it was not target specific or the Police would have done something.

TommyS
 
TommyS said:
Fluffy,

You know these are determined and ruthless criminals, security, visible or not will only put them off the specific job they have decided to recce. If anything is spotted they will just look at another job. Without detailed int the Police cannot do anything. I was not aware that there was int before the Northern Bank job. If there was it was not target specific or the Police would have done something.

TommyS
Click to expand...

"In the case of the Northern Bank raid in Belfast ,a threat assement concluded that a number of managers were at threat from tiger gangs ,the police did not have the resources and I would say that is still the case ,so as I stated earlier a private security /surveillance company was contracted to provide security to these managers (physical,home and counter surveillance)."

All this happened after the robbery.

Alan
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Tiger kidnappings have been happening in Northern Ireland for a very long time. Surely to goodness the government didn't think when the paramilitaries called a cease fire they were just going to disappear. Some of the paramilitaries have been murdering and stealing and using heavy weaponary for a whole generation, they have planned and executed attacks on huge military installations all across Northern Ireland. They have quite a degree of skill and planning abilities behind them. It might be better for the PSNI to set up a new division soley to capture these criminals, and maybe a big increase in years to be served for the crime when they get caught. I personally work as a DS in Belfast City centre and observe many people walking to the bank with their business takings and it is supprising how many big companies still actually do this. If can stand outside a particular bank in the city centre and watch the hoodlums taking notes whos going in and out of the banks carrying what, if i can see it any week day the surely the police can too, so they must be short on resources and manpower.
 
VICTORMACE said:
Tiger kidnappings have been happening in Northern Ireland for a very long time. Surely to goodness the government didn't think when the paramilitaries called a cease fire they were just going to disappear. Some of the paramilitaries have been murdering and stealing and using heavy weaponary for a whole generation, they have planned and executed attacks on huge military installations all across Northern Ireland. They have quite a degree of skill and planning abilities behind them. It might be better for the PSNI to set up a new division soley to capture these criminals, and maybe a big increase in years to be served for the crime when they get caught. I personally work as a DS in Belfast City centre and observe many people walking to the bank with their business takings and it is supprising how many big companies still actually do this. If can stand outside a particular bank in the city centre and watch the hoodlums taking notes whos going in and out of the banks carrying what, if i can see it any week day the surely the police can too, so they must be short on resources and manpower.
Click to expand...

I agree, the problem I see is that, like I said earlier, we are playing catch up. The PSNI are trying to be a normal police force but their hands are tied with "historic crimes", the 50/50 recruitment.
The main one is Patton which got rid of experienced middle ranking officers.

Alan
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Another one today.
A forensic examination is under way at the home of the director of a security company whose wife and daughter were held at gunpoint as he was forced to take €1m from his workplace. At least five armed and masked men forced their way into the detached house outside Maynooth at around 1.30am this morning.
They held his wife and daughter hostage, took him away, and instructed him to take a substantial sum of money from his place of work, GLS, a cash in transit company in Bluebell.
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Before 8am this morning the man took over €1.2m from the company's cash holding depot, drove down the Naas Road, and handed it over to the raiders at Newcastle in Co Dublin.
The man's wife and daughter were taken from their home in the early hours of this morning to Grangecom in Co Wicklow where they were left tied up.
They managed to free themselves and raise the alarm.
The family were re-united at around 10am this morning. They were not physically hurt but remain traumatised by their ordeal.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

SOURCE:RTÉ News: Examination of home of kidnap family
 
Here we go again

Here we are guys some really good points raised by all who responded i am waiting on some official facts and figures from a good source to give an in depth run down how prevalant this really is !!!

And to back that wee statement here is another one sunday!!!!
[h1]Family held hostage by robbers [/h1]

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A family has been held captive overnight in the Lisburn area.
On Sunday at about 2100 GMT two men, one of them armed with a handgun, entered their home.
They demanded that three children, one aged 15 and two aged eight-years-old, be put into their bedrooms. The parents were held in another part of the house.
At 0645 GMT on Monday, the father was forced to go to retail premises in Belfast city centre and hand over a sum of cash.
The mother, father and three children were then freed.
They were not physically harmed, but were very upset by their ordeal, the police have said.
Police have appealed for information on a car which was used in the robbery.
A silver Mitsubishi Charisma was taken from the family's home. It bears the registration number NCZ 7782. Anyone who saw suspicious activity in the Lagmore area of Lisburn on Sunday night, or saw the Mitsubishi Charisma in the area of Donegall Place and Royal Avenue after 0700 GMT on Monday, is asked to contact detectives at Lisburn CID. Police have advised businesses to ensure they have proper safety measures in place for their staff and premises.
 
Sorry guys/girls

Updated last night !! just learned of another yesterday afternoon details only released today



[h1]Masked men lock woman in car boot [/h1]

_45333866_policetape_226.jpg


Two masked men forced a woman into the boot of a car and kidnapped her in a bid to steal money in Belfast.
The kidnapping happened at March Street in the Shankill area at about 1600 GMT on Monday.
The 19-year-old woman was taken and ordered to call a friend working at an east Belfast garage and tell her to hand over cash from the business.
However, the women refused to cooperate and the teenager was later released unharmed in the Peter's Hill area.
Family
Earlier on Monday, a family was held captive overnight in the Lisburn area.
At about 2100 GMT on Sunday two men, one of them armed with a handgun, entered their home.
They demanded that three children, one aged 15 and two aged eight-years-old, be put into their bedrooms. The parents were held in another part of the house.
At 0645 GMT on Monday, the father was forced to go to retail premises in Belfast city centre and hand over cash.
The mother, father and three children were then freed.
The PSNI have said 35 people have been charged in connection with kidnap and robberies in Northern Ireland within the past five years.
Detective Superintendent Peter Farrar said the police have been working with larger organisations but said smaller businesses also had to be vigilant.
"The corner shops are also starting to become involved in these," he said.
"I would appeal to all of those to speak to their local district crime prevention officer to consider who has access in their staff to money, or access to the safe, and what can they do to minimise that.
He said businesses had to "reduce any chance of somebody having to come in and take money because one of their loved ones is being held hostage".
The president of Belfast Chamber of Commerce, John Moore, said there was often an increase in such robberies at key trading periods like Christmas.
Appeal
Businesses have been advised by police to review normal procedures.
"We've been working closely since yesterday afternoon with the PSNI," said Mr Moore.
"We'll be sending out some key tactical points for members, changing normal procedures, the opening and closing of shops, cash handling and being vigilant above all." Police are appealing for anyone who noticed a black car with tinted windows in the Woodvale or Shankill areas on Monday afternoon to contact them. They are also keen to speak to anyone who noticed such a car in the Peter's Hill area from 1730 GMT onwards.
 
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