Police seek abductors after businessman’s niece freed

A 27-year-old woman kidnapped on October 31 in the Athens neighborhood of Kypseli on Monday told investigators about about her ordeal following her release in exchange for an 82,500-euro ransom as the police sought to trace her abductors.

According to police sources, the abduction of the nursing student – the niece of a big businessman and soccer club owner – resembled four recent kidnappings. However its execution was deemed to be rather amateur, raising questions about whether authorities are dealing with professional criminals or novices.

The abductors had initially demanded 10 million euros in ransom from the woman’s family but after protracted negotiations they lowered the sum.

The victim’s father left the ransom money in a bag close to the OAKA Olympic complex in northern Athens, as instructed, and the woman was subsequently released unharmed.