1983: Heineken Kidnapped: The Beer Tycoon Held for a Record Ransom
Freddy Heineken, the globally recognised Amsterdam brewing magnate, was abducted on this day in 1983 along with his chauffeur, Ab Doderer. The kidnappers had already tried and failed twice before, lying in wait at Heineken's home only to find their target had not shown up, a sign of just how patiently they had planned their prize.
This time the plan worked. Heineken and Doderer were held captive for three weeks while the family scrambled to raise a ransom exceeding 10 million US dollars, among the largest ever demanded in a kidnapping. Both men were eventually freed alive, and the ordeal would go on to inspire books, films and documentaries for decades after.
