 He left the country for a time, but on 14 January 1989 he was one of those who kidnapped former Belgian prime minister Paul Vanden Boeynants, releasing Boeynants on 13 February 1989 for a reportedly huge ransom.Other members of the Haemers Gang were Basjri Basjramj, Marc Van Dam, Philippe Lacroix and Denise Tyack.Wanted in Belgium on several criminal counts, and by this time having an infant son, he fled to Brazil with his girlfriend, but they were tracked down.