Plan For The Worst - Preparing for Abduction and Restraint

Read the following story and tell me if you are prepared to handle a situation even remotely similar to this. This woman was abducted, bound and gagged with duct tape, transported to a Detroit alley, set on fire, and shot. It truly shows the extent of savagery that some criminals are capable of.

Pregnant Woman, Unborn Baby Survive Being Abducted, Set on Fire, Shot

If you think stories like this are rare, check out this one….

Woman, kidnapped and cuffed in vehicle, freed after police chase

Or this one...

Four guilty of Danish plot over Muhammad cartoons

What do you think the terrorists were planning to do with that duct tape?

Abduction and restraint are common tactics used by criminals around the world. Have you included these possibilities in your plan for personal protection? If not, here are some things you might consider.

1) If you believe you are going to be restrained, it’s time to act. People who get tied up or zip tied lose just about every conceivable option. Those who get restrained don’t fare very well afterwards. The two stories above illustrate this fact very well. If your attacker has restraints of any type, it’s time to fight back or escape, even if it means getting shot. If you don’t, the outcome might be worse.

2) Have an edged weapon available to either hand no matter what position you are in. Duct tape is probably the most commonly used criminal restraint. The best way to get out of it is to cut it with a knife. I designed the Ka-Bar LDK knife for this very purpose. When I travel overseas, I use a safety pin to attach the knife to the inside of my waistband at the center of my back. That way, I can get to it with my hands tied or taped behind my back. You can also lace it up in your shoe laces or put it in your wallet. It’s designed to be small enough to be missed on a cursory search.

You can find the LDK for around $15 at any place knives are sold or HERE. I even make about 25 cents royalty for each one sold! You’ll get a quality tool and be financing my future beach house in Brazil at the same time!

3) Know how to break zip ties. I see zip ties being used more and more often by dangerous criminals. The best tutorial available on escaping zip ties is from ITS Tactical:

How to Escape from Zip Ties

I’ve tried the techniques shown in the article and they do work. None but the friction saw method will work on police flex cuffs. Watch the video and give it a try. While normal shoe laces might do the job, paracord is much better. Buy a big roll of paracord and replace all of your shoe laces with it. You’ll need about five feet for each shoe, more for boots. That’s what I’ve done and no one notices. It gives you a few more options if you are ever taken hostage.

Don’t ever underestimate your attackers’ capacity for savage aggression. It’s best not to be placed in any situation where you can be restrained, regardless of means. Do whatever is necessary to avoid being zip tied or taped. If the worst happens and you are forcibly restrained, prior planning and practice will do a lot to ensure your survival.

Greg Ellifritz is a retired firearms and defensive tactics training officer for a central Ohio police department. He holds instructor or master instructor certifications in more than 75 different weapon systems, defensive tactics programs and police specialty areas. Greg has a master's degree in Public Policy and Management and is an instructor for both the Ohio Peace Officer's Training Academy and the Tactical Defense Institute.