$2M ransom for businessman’s son

A $2 million ransom has been demanded for the safe return of Belmont resident, Damien Schneider, who was snatched in the early hours of Sunday morning, sources at the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) said yesterday. The call was made to Schneider’s father, real estate businessman Martin Schneider, just after 3 pm on Sunday. AKS sources said the kidnappers were supposed to call again yesterday but up to late evening, this had not been done. Schneider, 35, of Sandhurst Street, Belmont, was grabbed after dropping off his friend, Dexter Chang, at his (Chang’s) Palmiste Street, Belmont home, just after 2 am. The kidnap victim was said to be a short distance from his home and was reportedly confronted by two men, who then forced him into a waiting vehicle. 

Chang told the police that after Schneider dropped him off, he never saw him again. After the kidnapping, police said Schneider’s uncle, Edward Salvatori, received a telephone call around 4.30 am Sunday with the caller asking for Martin Schneider’s telephone number, and informing Salvatori that everything was “cool”. Following that, a party of officers from the Belmont Criminal Investigations Department (CID) under Cpl Allison Jones went to Schneider’s home. AKS officers, headed by Sr Supt Gilbert Reyes and members of the Belmont CID, are continuing investigations.