Extortion the price of wealth

For the next 10 hours Madeleine sat in the kitchen where her attacker left her, surrounded only by the brave police officers who worked to free her of the device, which mercifully proved to be a fake.

Police have yet to establish the circumstances surrounding Madeleine's attack, which detectives have described as elaborate and sophisticated. But extortion is firming as a motive.

"There was a letter attached to this device, a note attached to this device that did make certain demands," Detective Superintendent Luke Moore says.

"We are treating this as an attempted extortion, a very serious attempted extortion."

Madeleine's father, William Pulver, runs a successful software business and speculation has centred on the family's obvious affluence. When quizzed about this yesterday, one senior police source familiar with the incident confirmed that was the main line of inquiry.

"There's nothing to indicate otherwise," he told The Australian.

Ransom is a relatively exotic crime in Australia, although it has a rich pedigree in other parts of the world.

Extortion is more common, although it tends to be directed against businesses or members of the criminal underworld, such as rival bikie gangs or drug dealers.

"Extortion, as such, is not really a common thing in Australia," former detective and NSW Police assistant commissioner Clive Small told The Australian. "Where there is extortion it's usually over drugs or among criminals."

Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reveal a doubling in the number of blackmail and extortion offences recorded between 2002-03 and 2010-11.

Extortion, blackmail or ransom sometimes intrude into the lives of the innocent and the respectable.

The Pulver's expansive home in Burrawong Avenue sits just a few kilometres from the site of Victor Chang's murder.

The Sydney heart surgeon became one of the country's most high-profile victims of extortion after he was gunned down by two men in nearby Lang Street.

Chiew Seng Liew and his accomplice Phillip Choon Tee Lim shot Chang twice, once while he lay bleeding in the gutter. Moments earlier, they had forced Chang's car off the road.

The plan had been to abduct Chang and detain him, along with his family, at his Clontarf home. Motivated by gambling debts, they planned to force Chang to withdraw some of what they assumed to be his considerable fortune.

Wellington in crisis as Weepu walks away | Kings of Commentary

What a sad ending to a stellar Wellington tenure. But it was well signaled. Weepu has been transparent about his feelings around the alleged ill-treatment of Ma’a Nonu and Andrew Hore in the background of their departures.

Seems everybody was aware of Piri’s pain but Wellington’s amateur management who have been diabolically slow to respond or even recognise their dilemma. And now Piri’s packing of bags further compounds matters for newish coach Mark Hammett , whose floundering franchise is clearly bleeding profusely.

In addition to the losses of Weepu and Nonu, stalwarts Aaron Cruden, Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, John Schwalger, Rodney So’oialo, Jason Eaton and Anthony Perenise have also bailed.

It’s now officially at crisis-point for Hammett and management who must surely now concede their handling of Wellington’s most loyal and seasoned campaigners has been seriously found wanting.

Worse still, it’s not necessarily over. Cory Jane and Hosea Gear remain non-committal and are without doubt weighing up their options. Jane’s sublime performance for the All Blacks against the B-Boks proves environment is everything. The form that eluded him for coach Hammett returned in bucket-loads for coaches Henry and Smith.

So this afternoon Jane followed up on Weepu’s tweet with the following…

Read into that what you will. Decoded, I reckon it means “I’m in Auckland Pat. A contract would be beautiful.”  Yep. I’m thinking Jane’s days with the Canes are over too.

The flip-side: Wellington’s pain is Auckland’s significant gain. Piri is received with open arms by Pat Lam in a 12-month arrangement that could well see him partner best mate Ma’a Nonu at 10 and 12. Well that’s what Blues resident halfback Alby Mathewson will be hoping for anyway. The feisty No9 left Wellington after 2010 to escape Weepu’s rather large shadow.

Unlike coach Hammett, Pat Lam must be doing something right. Because four weeks ago two gaping holes were left in his backline following the departure of Stephen Brett and Luke McAlister . Pat’s earnest prayers for replacements have been answered in abundance with the unforeseen arrival of two Wellington heavyweights. God works in mysterious ways.

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