Etty Glazer

Etty Glazer, wife of South African businessman Bernard Glazer, and her 22 month old son Sammy, were kidnapped for ransom on 30 March 1966. They were both returned safely after a ransom of ZAR 140,000 (South African Rand) was paid to the kidnappers. The kidnapper's house was quickly identified by police, and four suspects were arrested, with most of the ransom money been retrieved.

On the morning of 30 March 1966, Etty Glazer dropped her two daughters, Michelle (7) and Ella (5) at the Sandown Public School. On her way back about a half mile from home, she came across three men with apparent car trouble. When she stopped alongside them, one man grabbed her, while another attempted to open the passenger side door. After a brief struggle in which Mrs Glazer's lip was cut, both men entered the vehicle. When asked "What do you want of me?" "We are political refugees. We need your car, we need you too."

Mrs Glazer was manually blindfolded for the short journey to the kidnappers' house, and only once the vehicle was closed inside the garage was she allowed to see. She and son Sammy were then taken into the house, in which they were held for the rest of the time. The kidnappers then ordered her to contact Bernard, "we want £70,000 (South African pound)". As Mr Glazer was on a business trip to Swaziland, Etty contacted her mother first, and then Mr Glazer's secretary, Mr Davis. She explained that the kidnappers wanted R140,000 for her release. Mr Davis promptly set off to contact Mr Glazer en route to Swaziland.

Once contacted, Mr Glazer returned home, where Etty's mother was waiting for him. That evening he spoke to his wife, after which one of the kidnappers told him; "Mr Glazer, we want £70,000 for your son's and wife's release. If you want your wife and child alive you must pay £70,000 - and Mr Glazer, no tricks, no marked money and no police if you want your wife and child alive."

Mr Glazer contacted his bank manager from the Pretoria bank and arranged to withdraw the cash after hours. He arrived at the bank around 23:00, where he withdrew the R140,000 he needed. However the manager made a list of some of the banknotes' serial numbers. Later that night Mr Glazer received a phone call with instructions on the ransom money drop, where he was told to park at bus stop 50 on Corlett Drive, and wait by the public telephone booth for additional instructions. He was then told to leave the money in the unlocked vehicle and "go for a walk down the street." When he later returned to his vehicle, the money had been taken. At 2AM, he received a call where the kidnappers informed him that Etty and Sammy would be "home in half an hour."

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Wikipedia