Johannesburg attorney Alex Soleil van Heerden was abducted outside her Northcliff home before being found more than 24 hours later at a Vosloorus police station.
The 26-year-old was reportedly ambushed by armed men shortly after an Uber dropped her at home on Wednesday evening. Her disappearance triggered a coordinated search involving police, private investigators and security teams, with investigators eventually tracing the suspects to the Vaal area.
Details of the operation have been provided by Bhaai Cassim of the Fairland Community Policing Forum and the station’s victim support unit, who was involved in the response from the initial report through to Van Heerden’s recovery.
Alex Van Heerden Kidnapping Triggers Immediate Police Investigation
Van Heerden was reportedly taken at about 7pm after arriving outside her Northcliff residence. At least three armed men allegedly approached her as she got out of the Uber, took the driver’s cellphone and forced her into a white Renault Clio.
The Uber driver then drove to Fairland police station to report the abduction. Police went to the scene, identified Van Heerden and contacted her sister in Pretoria, who travelled to Johannesburg to assist with her young son and the babysitter who had been inside the apartment.
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The Sunday Times reported that Van Heerden and her husband, private investigator Rashad Ismail, have a young son and are separated. Ismail is also described as an anti-kidnapping specialist.
Investigators Track Kidnappers To Vaal Area
Mike Bolhuis of Specialised Security Services (SSS), who was contracted by Van Heerden’s family, led a high-intensity search involving private investigators and police. His team used cellphone tracking, tracing and digital and electronic cyber investigation methods as the search expanded.
“We know there are people who have huge problems with Rashad (Van Heerden’s anti-kidnapping specialist husband) and will leak information. But we as specialised investigators on the case are concerned only with facts. We know the history and what’s going on, and we’ve taken all of it into consideration.
“He’s given us feedback from his side and we are now busy with an extremely sensitive and intense investigation,” he said.
Police and private security teams eventually traced the suspects towards the Vaal, where a joint operations centre was established. Cassim said CCTV footage provided investigators with the registration number of the vehicle used in the kidnapping.
Van Heerden Found At Vosloorus Police Station
According to Cassim, the vehicle’s registration plates were genuine, allowing police to identify the registered owner and trace his address. Investigators went to the property, where they allegedly found the Renault Clio along with some of Van Heerden’s belongings, leading to the owner’s arrest.
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Van Heerden was later found at Vosloorus police station at about 10pm on Thursday. Cassim said she had managed to stop a passing motorist, who took her to the police station before she was transported home.
“Her kidnappers had taken good care of her. They had acted on instructions, they gave her food and were told not to hurt her. We don’t yet know why they decided to release her, but they had given her R200 and let her go,” Cassim said.
Bolhuis said investigators were continuing to establish who organised the kidnapping and why Van Heerden was targeted. “We are looking at what happened before, during and after the recovery. We are taking statements from witnesses and informers and more information is coming through to us,” he said.
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Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that one person had been arrested and that a criminal case had been opened at Fairland police station. She said investigations into the syndicate allegedly responsible for the kidnapping were continuing.
Van Heerden and her family are not speaking publicly about the incident and have referred media enquiries to Bolhuis’s team.
