Swedish man suspected of ‘kidnapping himself’

“The son allegedly called his parents saying he has been kidnapped and subjected to threats and violence,” said prosecutor Kjell Janneson to local paper Västerbottenskuriren.

Over the phone to his parents, the man allegedly told them of the kidnappers’ “demands”; that they should bring 15,000 kronor ($2,243) to an Umeå location, which they did in order to ensure their son’s immediate release.

However, after handing over the money to the 29-year-old’s accomplice, they alerted the police.

After several people close to the 29-year-old had been questioned it turned out he had been staying at an acquaintance’s house at the time of the alleged kidnapping and hadn’t been missing at all, according to the paper.

During the days prior to the phone call, the man had been staying at a number of hotels in the area without paying his bills, sometimes with a friend and sometimes on his own.

Six days after the police started investigating the case, the man was arrested. He is under suspicion for extortion, narcotics crimes and fraud. He has admitted to all allegations.

The 29-year-old has previously been convicted for a number of crimes including robbery, fraud and assault, reports Västerbottenskuriren. As late as last autumn he was convicted on two counts of narcotics crimes.

Legal proceedings will commence latest by the end of the week.