Express Kidnapping

A method of abduction in which the victim is held only long enough to extract a small, immediate ransom, typically by forcing them to withdraw cash from ATMs or transfer funds electronically rather than through a negotiated payment. A variant known as the millionaire tour involves taxi passengers forced to max out their bank cards at a series of ATMs alongside the driver's associates. The offense requires little planning or criminal experience compared with a traditional ransom kidnapping, and victims are usually released within hours once the money has been obtained. Known in the United States since 1986, express kidnapping is most commonly associated with urban areas of Latin America, including Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil and Colombia.