Anneli-Marie Kidnappers Demand €1m Ransom

Kidnappers have demanded a ransom reported to be around €1m for the daughter of a wealthy German businessman after she disappeared while walking her dog.

Anneli-Marie, R. has not been seen since leaving her parents' house in Meissen, Saxony, at 7.30pm on 13 August.

Police found her dog alive and searched a nearby yard after they were led there by a sniffer dog, but there was no sign of the girl.

The girl's parents addressed their daughter directly in a letter released by police, telling her: "Anneli, we miss you. We are with you."

They also told the kidnappers: "The kidnappers should know that we will fulfill the stipulated demands in order to be able to have our child back in our arms soon."

Police confirmed there had been a ransom demand and sources suggested the amount was about €1m (£710,000).

The abduction comes just two months after the 50-year-old mentally-disabled son of German billionaire Reinhold Würth was kidnapped.

Police believe the kidnappers may have lost their nerve after he was freed a day later, with no ransom paid.

In 2010 kidnappers murdered Maria Bögerl, a wealthy banker's wife, even though a ransom of €300,000 was paid. The culprits have never been caught.

In 2002, Magnus Gäfgen demanded €1m for the return of a banker's son - but he had already killed the 11-year-old.

Gäfgen was jailed for life after police tracked him down.