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Sion Resources Names 'Tiger Kidnapping' Biggest Illegal Growth Industry -- Up 300%

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 December 2008, 05:00 CST

Mexico, U.K., Brazil lead increase; U.S. to follow

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- "Tiger Kidnapping," the act of kidnapping an employee and forcing them or a family member to steal money or other valuables from an institution, has grown 300% over the last six years, according to Scott Charnick, COO of Sion Resources.

"It is an organized business that makes profits in record time. The targets have been financial institutions for years, but now it has spread to jewelers, fast food operations, supermarkets--any business with large amounts of cash on hand," said Charnick. "It is a global problem with Mexico, U.K., Belize, Belgium, Brazil, France, Trinidad and Tobago having the highest increases. The United States is the next area where these crimes will explode highlighted by the kidnapping of the Downey Savings Bank manager in California last week."

The largest incident took place in 2004 in Ireland when $46 million was stolen from the Northern Bank in Belfast. The first incident ever of "Tiger Kidnapping" was in 1972 in Middlesex, England. In addition to the money losses, the businesses suffer additional damage from loss of customers and investor confidence. Businesses that have been hit dropped as much as 2% in stock value.

"Tiger Kidnapping gangs use from three to as many as 20 members to plan and participate in a robbery. They use paramilitary training and rely on the human weakness of their victims for their successes," continued Charnick. "Businesses are beginning to use ID cards with codes and alarm capabilities, tracking devices on employees, multiple keys, and security briefings for employees they believe could be targets, and hiring outside security firms for education and protection."

Sion Resources is the market leader in Personal Security Awareness Training and Counter Kidnapping specializing in Corporate Intelligence and Risk Management for corporations, entertainment companies, royal families, and public personalities. Michael Phelps, The J. Paul Getty family, Spiros Niarchos, H.H. Karim Aga Khan, the Abdul Aziz Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, H.R.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Thani of the Qatari Royal Family, and Gianni Angelopoulos, the Greek Ambassador to the Olympics are among Sion's previous clients.

SOURCE Sion Resources

Source: PR Newswire

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