The Most Genius Kidnapping in History

In 1983, Freddy Heineken, CEO of the Heineken brewery, and his driver Ab Doderer were kidnapped in Amsterdam in a meticulously planned operation orchestrated by Cor van Hout and his accomplices Willem Holleeder, Frans Meijer, Jan Boellaard, and Martin Erkamps. The kidnappers demanded a record ransom of 35 million guilders, leading the police on a complex chase through a series of misleading clues. Despite their initial success, an anonymous tip led to their capture. Over time, all members were apprehended, with varying sentences, and the case became one of Europe's most infamous kidnappings.

• The kidnapping took place on November 9, 1983, in Amsterdam, involving the CEO of Heineken and his driver.
• It was meticulously planned over two years and demanded one of the largest ransoms in European history.
• The kidnappers used an orange van to abduct Heineken and his driver, shackling them and covering their heads with taped-over motorcycle helmets.

"The CEO of Heineken walks in the entrance of his Amsterdam office... He gets grabbed by the back of his suit jacket."

• This quote sets the scene for the kidnapping, highlighting the sudden and forceful nature of the abduction.

"Their hands and feet are shackled, their heads are covered with taped-over motorcycle helmets. Darkness swallows them."

• This describes the victims' condition post-abduction, emphasizing their helplessness and the kidnappers' preparedness.

• The plan was devised by a group of five men, led by Cor van Hout, known as Flipper.
• The group included Vidm Hool, France Meyer, Jan Boellaard, and Martin Erkamps, each with specific roles and skills.
• They used detailed escape routes and contingencies, including hacking traffic lights to avoid police detection.

"The man speaking is Cor van Hout... He is the mastermind behind the operation."

• This identifies Cor van Hout as the leader, underscoring his role as the brains behind the elaborate plan.

"They had planned their escape route meticulously... They would ride past Fred's plan."

• This highlights the thoroughness of their planning, including the specific escape route they intended to follow.

• The group faced unexpected challenges, such as encountering police officers at a critical intersection.
• They had to adapt quickly, deciding not to use their traffic light hacking plan due to the police presence.
• Despite the risks, they proceeded with the plan, demonstrating their resolve and willingness to take risks.

"They spotted 15 uniform police officers doing routine traffic stops at the intersection."

• This illustrates a significant risk they encountered, which could have jeopardized the entire operation.

"Villm tells Bul to run the red light."

• This decision signifies their commitment to the plan, choosing to take a calculated risk to avoid detection.

• The operation's success relied heavily on the group's ability to remain calm under pressure and adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
• They utilized various skills, such as car theft and technical expertise, to execute the plan.

"The last member that will join is Cor's younger half-brother Martin who everyone refers to as Brakes... He's skilled at stealing cars."

• This quote highlights the diverse skill set within the group, contributing to the operation's overall success.

"On the way to kidnapping Heineken, they spotted 15 uniform police officers."

• This reiterates the challenges faced during execution, emphasizing the need for quick decision-making.

• The kidnapping plan involved blocking a tunnel entrance with a van, with quick actions taken to ensure the abduction was swift.
• The kidnappers used multiple vehicles to confuse the police and create a false trail.
• The abduction was meticulously planned, taking only 35 minutes, and involved creating alibis by returning to familiar locations in Amsterdam.

"The plan is to block it with the van, but the taxi is still behind them, so they don't stop in the middle but drive forward."

• The plan was executed with precision, ensuring no interference from other vehicles.

"The entire abduction took no more than 35 minutes."

• The efficiency of the operation highlights the kidnappers' detailed planning and execution.

• The kidnappers sent an anonymous package to the police with a ransom demand, specifying the conditions for the money and communication.
• They demanded banknotes in various currencies and denominations, with specific instructions on how they should be packaged.
• Communication with the police was to be done through newspaper ads, with coded messages for future negotiations.

"They demand a ransom; all publicity must be stopped and searching is prohibited."

• The kidnappers set strict conditions to control the narrative and prevent police interference.

"The banknotes must have been circulated several times and randomly numbered."

• This demand was made to make tracing the money difficult, showing the kidnappers' awareness of police tactics.

• The hostages were kept in a heavily secured location with soundproofing and multiple layers of insulation.
• The kidnappers used a shed they owned, converting it into a secure holding area with hidden cells.
• The cells were constructed using reinforced materials, making escape virtually impossible.

"The cells are located in the back of a 38x9 M Romney shed."

• The choice of location and construction materials indicates the kidnappers' focus on security and concealment.

"Hope for escape is virtually zero."

• The meticulous planning ensured the hostages had no chance of escaping, emphasizing the kidnappers' thoroughness.

• The kidnappers spent years planning, studying famous kidnappings, and considering various targets based on wealth and risk.
• They rejected targets that could attract excessive attention or political implications.
• Freddy Heineken was chosen due to personal motives and his wealth, making him an ideal target.

"Their victim had to be rich and able to pay fast."

• The selection criteria highlight the kidnappers' focus on financial gain and minimizing risk.

"Finally, there was Fred Heineken, an incredibly wealthy Amsterdammer."

• The choice of Heineken was influenced by both financial and personal reasons, showing the depth of their motivation.

• The kidnappers deliberately left misleading evidence to confuse the police and suggest a different narrative.
• They planted items such as broken glasses and a bag of Uzis to create the impression of a heavily armed gang.
• The use of stolen vehicles and cross-border purchases further misled the investigation.

"The glasses weren't smashed by accident but placed strategically."

• This tactic was used to waste police resources and time, showcasing the kidnappers' strategic thinking.

"Any evidence that Heineken tried to take with him after the handoff would lead the wrong way."

• The meticulous planning extended to ensuring any potential evidence would mislead the authorities.

• The kidnappers recorded their demands on tapes and used random telephone booths to prevent tracing.
• They established a one-way communication channel, forcing the police to respond through newspaper ads.
• This strategy prevented the police from negotiating or gaining any leverage.

"They created a one-way channel for communication."

• The communication strategy was designed to maintain control over the situation and limit police options.

"The police could only accept or reject but never barter."

• This approach ensured the kidnappers retained the upper hand in negotiations, emphasizing their planning and foresight.

• The kidnappers faced the challenge of moving a large sum of money discreetly and efficiently.
• They calculated the weight of the money and replicated it with blocks of wood to strategize the logistics.
• They explored various plans to transfer the money, each with unique methods to avoid police detection.

"They then replicated the stacks of money with equally sized blocks of wood. One mail bag filled to the brim weighed a staggering 100 kg, the equivalent of throwing around the weight of a limp adult male."

• The kidnappers meticulously planned the logistics of moving the ransom money by understanding its physical weight and volume.

"Fmeer suggested the first plan: the police should drop the ransom into a small boat. The boat is connected to a rope; it is then pulled across the water to the other side where the men are hiding."

• The first plan involved a boat and rope system to transfer the money across a body of water, minimizing direct contact with the police.

"Corvin how suggests that they copy the vacuum delivery system of a local department store... hook it up to a vacuum machine and suck the money through."

• The second plan employed an innovative vacuum delivery system, inspired by department stores, to transport the money through a concealed tube.

"The third plan is to steal a houseboat... deposit the cash at the bottom of the river where they could later retrieve it in diving suits."

• The third plan involved using a houseboat and a secret tunnel to drop the money into a river for later retrieval, adding a layer of complexity and concealment.

• The kidnappers issued specific instructions to the police for the ransom handoff, emphasizing secrecy and compliance.
• They monitored the police's actions closely, ready to adjust their plans as necessary.

"The police are called and hear the voice of the chauffeur ABD doer: 'This is an instruction for the hair from the Eagle...'"

• The kidnappers used coded language and specific instructions to orchestrate the ransom handoff, maintaining control over the situation.

"They made it clear in their letter that if the police didn't act fast, doer and hukah could buy back their lifeless bodies."

• The kidnappers threatened severe consequences if the police failed to follow their instructions, highlighting the high stakes of the operation.

"Corvan how tells the police that they did irreparable damage to one of hinek and Do's fingers and for 10 days the police hear nothing."

• After a failed initial attempt, the kidnappers manipulated the situation by claiming harm to the hostages, buying more time and increasing pressure on the police.

• The second attempt at the ransom handoff involved a more elaborate set of instructions and checkpoints.
• The kidnappers continued to use coded language and meticulous planning to maintain control.

"This is the owl. This is a telephone instruction for the driver, the mouse: Make notes."

• The use of code names like "the owl" and "the mouse" added layers of secrecy and complexity to the communication.

"Drive to the southern province of Braband to the Texico gas station called Zurg Shah hook alongside the a16 motorway between Braa and Dordr."

• The instructions included multiple locations and checkpoints, ensuring the police followed a precise route to avoid detection.

"On the front seat next to you is a walkie-talkie under a piece of cloth. It is strictly prohibited for you to touch the walkie-talkie."

• The kidnappers used a walkie-talkie for real-time communication, emphasizing the importance of following their instructions without deviation.

• Corvin orchestrated a complex kidnapping scheme involving a series of misleading instructions to misdirect the police.
• The plan involved a scavenger hunt-like sequence to keep the police occupied, allowing the kidnappers to evade capture.

"Corvin's plan was an elaborate scavenger hunt. He would lead the police down various twists and turns for hours, constantly keeping him moving only to jump on the mouse at the last moment."

• Corvin's strategy was to create a series of diversions and false leads to confuse law enforcement and buy time for his team.

• The team meticulously planned the ransom drop-off at a carefully chosen location to avoid detection.
• They used disguises and strategic positioning to ensure the drop-off went unnoticed by police and helicopters.

"Venom holor spotter one standing on the edge of a field around 800 M from the overpass. He is equipped with binoculars and a walkie-talkie."

• The use of a spotter with binoculars and a walkie-talkie was crucial for monitoring the situation and communicating with the team.

"Meer spotter two France gets out of the hanac and crouches in some nearby bushes. He watches the overpass, ensuring that the police officer is not followed."

• France Meer's role was to ensure the police were not trailing the officer, securing the team's escape route.

• The team executed a swift and secretive escape, using a van and later switching to bicycles to avoid detection.
• They buried the ransom money in plastic drums and disguised their tracks with natural foliage.

"The men worked furiously as the sound of helicopters seemed to come closer and closer as the bags are dropped into the drums."

• The urgency of their actions highlights the pressure they were under to conceal the money before being discovered.

"Under their jackets, they are already wearing a race biking outfit."

• The pre-planned switch to bicycles shows their preparedness and attention to detail in evading capture.

• An anonymous tip, referred to as item 547, was crucial in leading the police to the suspects.
• The tip provided specific names and business dealings, which were instrumental in the investigation.

"On the 16th of November, the hin corporation received a letter, a letter the police later called item 547. It mentioned three names in connection with the wood workshop at the hining coron how am bullart and France Meyer."

• The anonymous tip was a turning point in the investigation, providing the police with the leads they needed.

• Several members of the group were eventually arrested and sentenced to prison terms.
• The division of the ransom money and subsequent arrests highlight the eventual unraveling of the plan.

"Y buard and Martin aoms were arrested first intercepted by police on their way to freekin and doer they still had their split of cash on them which was confiscated."

• The arrests of Y buard and Martin aoms mark the beginning of the group's downfall, as they were caught with their share of the ransom.

• Some members managed to evade capture for a time, but were eventually tracked down and arrested.
• The kidnapping remains one of the most elaborate schemes in European history, with a significant amount of the ransom still unaccounted for.

"Fmeer turned himself in on December 28th, 1983, after allegedly burning 3 million gilders in a manic frenzy."

• France Meer's surrender and actions reflect the psychological toll the heist took on the participants.

"Coron how was assassinated on the 24th of January 2003 in vean the perpetrator was convicted in January 2019."

• The assassination of Corvin how underscores the enduring impact and danger associated with the criminal underworld.