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CRIME

Man kidnaps 7-year-old boy in ‘revenge’

A 7 year-old boy who was kidnapped on his way to school on Friday has been returned safely to his family after a six-figure ransom was paid to his abductor. The incident occurred in the town of Fellbach in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg.

Man kidnaps 7-year-old boy in 'revenge'
Photo:DPA

A police spokesman said no “major violence” had been inflicted on the boy but refrained from going into further detail. The 48 year-old kidnapper, who appeared to be unarmed, rang the boy’s father and demanded a six-figure ransom.

After it was paid, he initially managed to evade the police but was captured some hours later at the apartment of an acquaintance.

The police said it had opted for an approach that privileged the boy’s safe release over the immediate arrest of the perpetrator.

The kidnapper hid the cash at his home and in his car and confessed to the crime after his arrest.

The boy and his family are receiving psychological support and are said to be in good form, considering their ordeal. It appears the kidnapper’s intention was to get revenge on the boy’s father.

DPA/The Local/kkf

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BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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