Alex van Heerden was seized moments after arriving home on Wednesday evening, triggering a massive search.
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A 26-year-old woman abducted outside her Northcliff home earlier this week has been found and is said to be recovering, security specialist Mike Bolhuis confirmed to The Citizen on Friday morning.
Alex van Heerden was seized moments after arriving home at 6:57pm on Wednesday, 5 August, according to Bolhuis’ Specialised Security Services (SSS).
She had reportedly travelled by Uber from News Café in Rosebank to her Northcliff residence shortly before the attack.
Alex van Heerden found safe
Alex van Heerden is “resting” and “unharmed” following her rescue, Bolhuis said.
“We will know more and further details [later],” he said, adding that a formal briefing on the case was still to come.
According to Bolhuis, his team at Specialised Security Services (SSS) would continue to support Van Heerden in the aftermath of the ordeal.
“We’ll be the support and dealing with any trauma as well. This is what we do with specialist investigators,” he said.
How the abduction unfolded
Footage of the incident, shared by Andre Snyman of eBlockwatch, showed two armed men confronting Van Heerden immediately after she stepped out of the Uber.
According to SSS, the attackers first robbed the e-hailing driver of his cellphone before forcing Van Heerden into a separate vehicle and fleeing the scene.
The Uber driver reportedly did not pursue the attackers himself. Instead, per SSS, he drove straight to the nearest police station to open a case.
The abduction triggered a large-scale search involving both police and private security teams.
Suspects arrested
Bolhuis confirmed that progress had already been made in the criminal investigation.
“I can tell you that the vehicle was recovered as well as suspects arrested,” he said, though he stressed that specifics were being withheld while the case continued.
“We’re not divulging too much because the intense investigation is ongoing,” he said.
According to Bolhuis, the investigation will trace the entire timeline of the abduction, from the moment Van Heerden was taken to her eventual rescue.
“It will be a complete digital and electronic cyber track trace investigation done, and we rely on informants’ information,” he said.
This is a developing story
