Family ordered to pay £40k in Reading kidnap ransom

Erlind Demiraj was described by police as the ringleader of the gang

A family were told their son would be freed from kidnappers if a gang was paid £40,000, police have revealed.

Four members of the gang were jailed at Reading Crown Court for their involvement in the kidnapping of two men in December 2021.

A five-day manhunt eventually located the two victims in Northamptonshire.

Thames Valley Police said the kidnappers had shown an "alarming" level of violence during the kidnap.

Police were first alerted by the mother of one of the victims who said her family had been receiving threats and blackmail demands for months over an alleged debt to a gang, led by Erlind Demiraj.

The gang had visited the family home and threatened to burn the house down before the two men, in their 20s, were eventually kidnapped from a car park in Maiden Place, Lower Earley in Reading, on 6 December 2021.

A team of armed police officers later located the victims at a bedsit in Hunter Street, Northampton.

Police said one of the victims had injuries consistent with cigarette burns to his hands, as well as cuts and bruising to his head and body.

He also reported having been attacked with weapons and deprived of food.

'Extremely concerning'

Det Con Helen Gilbert said: "The family had made many, many payments, but it wasn't enough.

"The ring leader, Demiraj, told the family their son would be returned unharmed if they paid a further £40,000 - they didn't have that money available to them.

"The level of violence was quite alarming and the distress it caused to the family. While they were missing it was extremely concerning - there was no proof of life for those five days."

Dutch authorities later arrested Demiraj as he was attempting to cross from Belgium into the Netherlands in November 2022. He was extradited back to the UK to stand trial.

Demiraj, 32, of Orts Road, Reading, was found guilty of one count each of conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to blackmail earlier this year. He also pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on 12 December. Three other men were also jailed for their role in the kidnap.