Yahoo Finance Pulido's Cousin-In-Law Arrested Over Kidnapping
Police investigating the kidnap of Mexican football star Alan Pulido have arrested his cousin's husband.
Osvaldo Velazquez Garcia, 29, is suspected of ordering the player's kidnapping, which took place over the weekend.
Pulido's car was intercepted by four armed men as he travelled home from a party in his hometown of Ciudad Victoria, in the state of Tamaulipas.
He was held at gunpoint for almost 24 hours, but apparently made his escape when he was left alone with just one kidnapper and managed to overpower him .
Pulido grabbed a phone and called police, who turned up within minutes.
Garcia was wounded and detained during the ensuing police shootout, according to state prosecutor Ismael Quintanilla.
He said Garcia was hit in the shoulder and wounded in the neck, but is not seriously injured.
A 38-year-old accomplice said Garcia masterminded the kidnapping, in which a ransom of $325,000 was demanded.
Prosecutors say he is a member of a criminal gang linked to drug trafficking, kidnappings and extortion.
He was reportedly present at the party attended by Pulido - a striker with Greek club Olympiakos - before he was kidnapped on Saturday.
The prosecutor said the suspect called the other kidnappers to tell them when the player had left the event, and told him what type of car he was driving.
The car was intercepted by four armed men, who let his girlfriend - who was a passenger in the car - leave.
Authorities say that Pulido was left alone with one kidnapper in a two-storey home, and took the opportunity to make his escape.
Pulido's brother Armando - a player for Greek second division team Kissamikos - said the pair do not hire security when they visit their hometown "because the people of Ciudad Victoria have always been very affectionate with us".
The level of apparent incompetence shown by the kidnappers has puzzled experts, leading some to question the official version of events.
Former Mexican intelligence agency official Alejandro Hope said: "If it's true, then we are talking about a monumental degree of incompetence by the kidnappers."
