A gag order was lifted late Sunday on the abduction of a Jerusalem millionaire and her housekeeper, who were abducted from the Jerusalem home on April 11th. The abductors were demanding a $3.5 million ransom. Police tracked down the kidnappers, arresting all three, residents of the center of the country. The women were released.

The woman, in her 60s, is a resident of Mamila. Her associate, the caretaker, a Beit Shemesh woman in her 50s, was abducted with her.

The kidnappers arrived on Sunday, after learning the routine of the woman, and one approached the door wearing a security vest, leading to the woman opening the door. The others entered and the women were instructed to pack their bags and accompany the three, who confiscated their cellular telephones while making off with jewelry and expensive artifacts from the luxury capital home.

A handwritten fax in the victim’s own handwriting was received by her accountant in Luxemburg, instructing the accountant to transfer $3.5 million to a bank account in Sofia, Bulgaria.  Without revealing the details of their work, the fax began the trial leading to Zohar Street in Petach Tikvah where the women were being held.

Police report that after the woman were safe in custody; they raided the home and found a very large cache of weapons, including handguns, automatic weapons, magazines, ammunition, handcuffs, leg irons, uniforms, sights and night vision apparatus.

Also found were foreign passports, identification cards stolen from IDF soldiers, makeup and civilian identity cards.

Police explain only one of the suspects was apprehended in the Petach Tikvah apartment and the others were taken into custody on two separate occasions in Bat Yam. Additional arrests are expected. Some of the valuables were recovered as well.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)