How Do Ransoms Work?

Typically, a gang of two or three people will grab their target and force them to extract money from the cash machine under threat of violence. In some cases, the victim is driven to a nearby location and either made to hand over money directly or held hostage until a ransom is paid by their family.

What is the highest ransom ever paid?

Historically the greatest ransom paid was that paid for Atahualpa, the last emperor of the Incas, to the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1532-3 at Cajamarca, Peru, which constituted a hall full of gold and silver, worth in modern money some $1.5 billion (£1 billion).

How does kidnap work?

In the case of child kidnapping, it's taking a child against the will of any parent or legal guardian of that person. In most basic kidnapping cases, the perpetrators are motivated by ransom or concessions. They take and detain the victim, then contact their loved ones or employer to negotiate the victim's release.