A former FBI agent has revealed five tips to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in a kidnapping situation.
Bill Daly, who worked as an investigator in the FBI’s New York offices for 10 years, now offers advice on how to address criminal activity based on the knowledge he gained during his decades of work in the security field.
Along with former Secret Service agent Michael Verden, the couple spoke with Fox News break down five strategies that people can use to help get out of a kidnapping situation.
Experts also revealed the most dangerous thing you can do if you are kidnapped.
A former FBI agent has revealed five tips to keep in mind if you are ever the victim of a kidnapping (file image)
First, simply maintain awareness of your surroundings, also known as situational awareness.
In public, don’t let strangers approach you and keep everyone at least five feet away.
Obviously, in crowded environments, this may not be possible, but in less densely populated areas, there is no reason why someone you don’t know should be in your personal space.
‘If it’s a congested area, chances are you won’t get kidnapped. “If you’re in a remote area, the potential for kidnapping is more serious,” Daly said.
In practice, this also means not using headphones or talking on the phone in potentially vulnerable circumstances.
‘People disconnect when walking on the sidewalk. I understand, but if you don’t know the area, you have to disconnect,” he advised.
He also emphasized the common sense measure of never getting into a car with someone you don’t know.
Outside the United States in particular, people have been kidnapped by fake taxi drivers, especially at travel hubs like airports, he added.
‘I travel a lot. When I leave the airport, I call Uber or Lyft. I don’t care if it looks like a taxi, I don’t know if it is, unless you’re going to a taxi rank,’ she reasoned.
Along with former Secret Service agent Michael Verden, the pair spoke with Fox News to discuss five strategies people can use to help get out of a kidnapping situation (file image)
Secondly, the expert urged people to do everything necessary to prevent a potential kidnapper from taking you to a second location.
As a first resort, simply causing a commotion and being as loud as possible can be an effective deterrent to opportunistic criminals.
The more trouble it looks like you’re going to have, the less willing they will be to go through with the abduction.
Most kidnappings in the United States are not for ransom, but rather for “sexual assault or violence that can result in your death,” Daly explained.
In any public place, “you have to yell or scream to get attention,” Daly said.
“You’re more likely to not get hurt in a public place than in a more secluded place.”
However, if you’ve ended up in an out-of-the-way location, “it’s in your best interest to fight back,” he added.
That being said, Verden interjected, if it is clear that you will be overpowered, counterattacking may not be a good option.
“If it’s a female and the male is twice her size, she can fight, but there’s a point of no return or diminished returns; you can make things worse,” Verden said.
‘I do a lot of free training in schools. I can’t tell a third grader to fight a person with a gun, but I will tell an adult to fight a person with a gun.’
If your kidnapper manages to force you into a vehicle, trying to get the attention of other drivers on the road is a good move, with traffic lights being your best option.
The metal part of a seat belt can be used to break a car window, usually requiring multiple hits to the glass.
Here’s how to do it, depending on the Emergency Dispatch Log: ‘With the seat belt pulled as far as it will go and the metal clip gripped in your fist, if you hit the side window down and in front of the window, the window will break virtually every time on the first or second attempt.’
Still, an even better idea would be to carry a car window breaker, which is available in the form of a keychain.
Third, experts shared that if you have been kidnapped, stay aware of your surroundings as best you can.
Even if you’re in the trunk of a vehicle, you can notice things like how many turns a car makes, Verden suggested.
Likewise, any noise, such as that of trains or traffic, or even smells, such as that of a “paper factory or a bakery,” can become crucial clues to where you are being taken.
Fourth, it is important not to lose your cool.
“If you’re still conscious, you still have all your faculties,” Verden said.
‘If you keep your composure, instead of crying or yelling at the kidnapper, the kidnapper will see it. That might improve the victim’s relationship with the kidnapper,’ she reasoned.
Also, if there is any opportunity to use the ‘Help Signal’, a hand gesture created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation – do it.
For the gesture, with your palm facing the person or camera you want to point at, place your thumb on your palm and close your hand.
Fifth, obviously, use your phone if you can, not just to make a call but to discreetly share your location.
In May, Texas woman with a flat tire She was kidnapped by a man who had offered to give her a ride to buy her a new tire.
When it became clear that he was up to no good, she shared his location with a friend. The man then entered the parking lot of an apartment complex and began sexually assaulting the woman.
However, he managed to escape from the car and, remembering the second warning, began to make noise and shout for help.
And, in fact, the commotion caused the man to flee the scene and quickly walk away.
Because her friend had her location, it was easier to find her after the crime occurred.
Police later detained him in the same parking lot where the crime occurred.
In the United States, the majority of kidnapping victims are children.
To help immediately after a kidnapping, Daly recommended parents download FBI Child Identification Applicationwhich stores photographs and key statistics about the child to immediately pass on to authorities if they are taken.
