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Trial begins: Seven young people in court for brutal kidnappings!
A trial begins at the Hechingen regional court against seven people for extortionate kidnapping in Tübingen.
Trial begins: Seven young people in court for brutal kidnappings!
Things will get serious at the Hechingen regional court from Thursday: seven people are on trial for “communal extortionate kidnapping of people”. What exactly happened there? Loud SWR The defendants kidnapped a man twice, which was a terrible experience for the person concerned.
The first kidnapping occurred at the beginning of 2025, when the man was taken to a basement apartment in Mössingen. Not only was he beaten there, but his cell phone was also taken away. The situation escalated further when his family paid over €3,000 in ransom to free him. After paying, the man was eventually released. But the danger was far from averted.
Second kidnapping and threats
The second kidnapping occurred in April. The man was again taken to the apartment, where he was threatened and abused again. This time the kidnappers demanded over 4,500 euros for his release, which he was unable to afford. An acquaintance of the victim also fell into the kidnappers' clutches. He was lured to a bus stop in Haigerloch-Stetten, where he was also threatened with violence; The claim here amounted to 5,000 euros. Fortunately, the acquaintance managed to escape before the situation could have fatal consequences.
Eventually the victim was freed by police. According to the investigation, the kidnappings are believed to be related to alleged drug trafficking debts. The defendants currently in custody are between 16 and 19 years old, with one outlier who is 43 years old. Another five people were involved in the kidnappings; However, their case will be dealt with in a separate procedure.
Legal framework
The present allegations raise concerns about security in our society. Kidnapping, as occurred in this case, is a serious crime. How Law Forum reports, there is talk of high penalties for extortionate kidnapping. Offenses of this type are punished rigorously in German criminal law. Section 239 of the Criminal Code, which deals with deprivation of liberty, provides for penalties of at least five years if there is a demand for a ransom.
On average, at least one kidnapping is registered in Germany every week - a frightening number that makes it clear that such crimes are not just isolated cases. There are around 80 documented kidnappings every year with a clearance rate of 90%. The case in Hechingen underlines the urgency of taking action against this type of crime.
The trial is scheduled to last 13 days and the indictment will be read out at the start. A verdict is expected in February. These incidents cast a huge shadow over coexistence, and what remains is the question: How safe are we in our own city?