A plan to kidnap Stefan Sharlopov, the wealthy owner of the "Pirin" 5-star hotel in the southern resort town of Sandanski has been thwarted by police.

The abductors masterminded the plan and made preparations as early as March 2009, just before businessman Kiro Kirov has been kidnapped in Sofia. The police directorate in the southwestern city of Blagoevgrad received a signal about the plan and Sharlopov has been alerted and his life possibly saved, the local "Struma" newspaper writes.

The businessman was to be kidnapped by a Sofia-based crime group, which collected full information about his habits and favorite places.

The purpose of the kidnapping and possible ransom plans have not been revealed.

Stephan Sharlopov is one of the major and wealthiest hotel owners in Bulgaria with properties both on the Black Sea coast and inside the country. He also owns the "Devin" company, maker and bottler of mineral and carbonated water.

It is a known fact that the businessman often traveled alone, without security guards - something the perpetrators planned to benefit from.

Immediately upon receiving the information from the Blagoevgrad police Sharlopov upped his security and is now accompanied everywhere by a team of professional bodyguards.

The local media also reports that the Blagoevgrad police had foiled yet another abduction of a hotel owner in the winter resort of "Bansko."