One critical element when discussing personal security, especially in the developing world is to have an understanding of the various types of kidnapping that exist and the associated mitigation and prevention strategies that you can employ. First off, it’s important to note that in the US in particular and most of Western Europe kidnapping for…
One question that often comes up is whether or when to resist a criminal. There is no clear-cut answer as it depends a lot on the situation and the individual involved. Generally though, most people agree that pure property or economically motivated crimes should not be resisted. If the criminal just wants your money or…
We have repeatedly discussed the pre-operational steps that occur prior to most crimes from similar robbery to assassination and perhaps most notably kidnapping. These steps include things like surveillance and target selection. There is at least one type of crime where this does not occur however — at least not in the typical sense —…
Taking taxis in many countries is an activity fraught with risks. In most locations the safest option if you need to use taxis as opposed to dedicated prearranged transport is to use a radio-call taxi or a taxi set-up by a hotel or restaurant. Getting into taxis on the street can open you up to…
Express kidnapping – also sometimes called lightening kidnapping – is a prevalent crime in much of the developing world. While is particularly common in Latin America it occurs globally – I am personally aware of incidents in locations as diverse as Kazakhstan and China. Tourists and business travelers are much more likely to be victims…