Police rescued a kidnap victim who had been chained to a tree at gunpoint after he used his mobile phone to Google his location.
The terrified man managed to stuff the phone down his sock after being taken hostage by John Spence.
He then used it to discover his exact GPS co-ordinates on Google and send a screenshot to his boss, who raised the alarm.
Armed officers raced to the scene in remote woodland in Goadby, Leics, and were stunned to find the man chained to a tree.
Spence hatched the “chilling” plot because he felt the victim’s company owed him £2,000, Leicester Crown Court heard.
The 51-year-old was “desperate” for cash after a cheque for his child’s private school fees bounced.
He used a false name and bogus email address to contact the firm, posing as a customer wanting to buy an £18,000 staircase.
Disguised in a brown curly wig, hat and sunglasses, he met the victim in upmarket Oadby, Leics, in June.
Posing as a builder, he offered drive his victim to see other clients - but then pulled a replica gun on him.
Spence took the terrified businessman to a remote woodland spot where he chained him to a tree using a padlock.
He took his bank card and demanded the PIN number before leaving to withdraw £500 from a cashpoint.
It was while he was left alone that his victim used Google to track his location and raised the alarm.
Spence, from Countesthorpe, Leics, admitted blackmail, kidnap, theft of a bank card and fraudulently using it to obtain £500.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm - a Walther airgun which resembled a semi-auto handgun.
Spence was jailed for eight years on Friday.
