Dictionary definition of “tiger kidnapping”

tiger kidnapping

n. the abduction or holding of a hostage to persuade another person to aid in a crime. Subjects: English, Crime & Prisons

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Citations: 1995 Grania Langdon-Down Financial Times (Apr. 8) “On the trail of the fraudsters” p. II: In western Europe the threat is more from “tiger” kidnaps, in which, for example, the wife of a bank manager is held hostage to force him to open the safe. 1999 Tony Thompson Observer (U.K.) (Nov. 14) “Gangs bring wave of kidnaps to Britain” p. 12: More than 80 per cent of “tiger” kidnappings involve ethnic minorities. There has been a particular problem with Chinese nationals who have entered the country illegally. They are often snatched by gangs linked to the Triads and then their families in China are pressured into paying a ransom. 2002 Mo Hayder The Treatment (Feb. 19) p. 5: “It isn’t a custody kidnap. He’s their child—no exes involved.” “A tiger then?” “Not a tiger either.” Tiger kidnaps meant ransom demands and the Peaches were not in an extortionist’s financial league. 2002 Ruth O'Callaghan Sunday Times (London, England) (Dec. 22) “Tiger kidnapping—the new threat—Small business”: Gardai call such incidents, where a hostage is taken and forced to help thieves, tiger kidnapping. 2005 Jonathan McCambridge Belfast Telegraph (Northern Ireland) (Jan. 12) “Anatomy of a bank robbery”: Police intelligence reports and underworld crime gangs share the same use of terminology—a tiger kidnapping is what they both call a crime where a hostage is held to force the victim to take part in a robbery.…The origins of the tiger kidnapping spread back well over two decades. The term was first used in London for a particular type of crime against illegal immigrants, usually from the Middle East. When these immigrants reached London they were kidnapped by armed gangs who told their families back home that their relatives would be killed unless large ransoms were paid.

Posted 12 Jan 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

This would be the latest example of this noun in action. See this news story:

Thursday 23 February 2006

An armed gang who stole at least £25m from a security depot in Kent held the manager and his family for more than six hours and threatened to kill them.

In what is thought to be Britain’s biggest robbery, the manager, his family and 14 staff at Securitas were forced to co-operate during the raid.

(BBC ON-LINE)

by ryan 23 Feb 06, 1239 GMT