Gerrit Jan Heijn
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Gerrit Jan Heijn (born February 14, 1931 in Zaandam ; † September 9, 1987 ) was a Dutch businessman who was a top manager at Ahold until his death in 1987 .
Life
His grandfather was the founder of the Albert Heijn supermarket chain named after him . His son Ronald Jan Heijn played for the Dutch national hockey team .
On September 9, 1987, Heijn was kidnapped by Ferdi Elsas near his villa in Bloemendaal ( Netherlands ) . Although Elsas murdered him just hours after the kidnapping, for a long time he pretended that Heijn was still alive and demanded a ransom. He sent the glasses and the severed little finger of Gerrit Jans to the Heijn family. Elsas was arrested while issuing banknotes from the received ransom, the numbers of which were recorded. Elsas gave information about Heijn's body, which was buried in the woods near Renkum . He was serving a prison term and was released in 2001. Gerrit Jan Heijn was cremated in Driehuis on April 9, 1988 . His kidnapper, Ferdi Elsas, was killed in an accident on August 3, 2009 when he was struck by an excavator while riding his bicycle near Vorden .
The 2004 film Anatomy of a Kidnapping is based in part on the kidnapping of Gerrit Jan Heijn.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Heijn, Gerrit Jan |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Heijn, Gerrit-Jan |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Dutch businessman and top manager |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 14, 1931 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Zaandam |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 9, 1987 |