SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Gunmen kidnapped the sister of AC Milan striker Ricardo Oliveira in Brazil on Wednesday, authorities said.
Maria de Lourdes Silva de Oliveira was abducted early Wednesday by two hooded men who broke into her home in Sao Paulo's north side, authorities said. The kidnappers gagged and tied her husband and her eight-year-old son before escaping.
The abductors had not made any contact with the family by Wednesday afternoon.
Local media said police were investigating the possibility one of her sons, a teenager with a police record and who allegedly had threatened to kidnap her on other occasions, was involved in the incident.
Sao Paulo's Public Safety Department said it would not make any comments until the case was resolved.
Oliveira received the news while in Sevilla, Spain, where he was handling personal matters. He was expected to travel to Brazil later Wednesday to assist in the investigation.
Milan club directors and players expressed their solidarity to the Brazilian striker and his family.
Oliveira constantly was summoned for Brazil's national team until suffering a serious knee injury and undergoing surgery in November. The striker recovered and played for Spain's Real Betis and Brazil's Sao Paulo before joining Milan earlier this year.
He also played for Spain's Valencia and Brazil's Santos earlier in his career.
The kidnapping was the eighth involving relatives of soccer players in Brazil since November 2004.
It began with the mother of Real Madrid striker Robinho, who was abducted from a family gathering and freed unharmed five weeks later. Robinho, then a Santos player, reportedly paid a ransom of about US$80,000.
Earlier this year, the sister of Palmeiras defender Michael and the mother of Santos defender Kleber were kidnapped and released unharmed. Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, former Sporting Lisbon defender Rogerio, Le Mans striker Grafite and Corinthians defender Marinho also had their mothers kidnapped and released.
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Maria de Lourdes Silva de Oliveira was abducted early Wednesday by two hooded men who broke into her home in Sao Paulo's north side, authorities said. The kidnappers gagged and tied her husband and her eight-year-old son before escaping.
The abductors had not made any contact with the family by Wednesday afternoon.
Local media said police were investigating the possibility one of her sons, a teenager with a police record and who allegedly had threatened to kidnap her on other occasions, was involved in the incident.
Sao Paulo's Public Safety Department said it would not make any comments until the case was resolved.
Oliveira received the news while in Sevilla, Spain, where he was handling personal matters. He was expected to travel to Brazil later Wednesday to assist in the investigation.
Milan club directors and players expressed their solidarity to the Brazilian striker and his family.
Oliveira constantly was summoned for Brazil's national team until suffering a serious knee injury and undergoing surgery in November. The striker recovered and played for Spain's Real Betis and Brazil's Sao Paulo before joining Milan earlier this year.
He also played for Spain's Valencia and Brazil's Santos earlier in his career.
The kidnapping was the eighth involving relatives of soccer players in Brazil since November 2004.
It began with the mother of Real Madrid striker Robinho, who was abducted from a family gathering and freed unharmed five weeks later. Robinho, then a Santos player, reportedly paid a ransom of about US$80,000.
Earlier this year, the sister of Palmeiras defender Michael and the mother of Santos defender Kleber were kidnapped and released unharmed. Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, former Sporting Lisbon defender Rogerio, Le Mans striker Grafite and Corinthians defender Marinho also had their mothers kidnapped and released.
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