Hawks probe Gqeberha woman&#x2019s abduction as security firm reports ransom demand

Lindsay Knowlden,65,was kidnapped at the Nelson Mandela Bay Fresh Produce Market in Gqeberha,sparking a desperate search.

Andre Snyman eblockwatch/Facebook

Lindsay Knowlden,was kidnapped by armed men from the Nelson Mandela Bay Fresh Produce Market parking lot on Saturday; her husband was assaulted during the abduction. Atlas Security reports that a ransom demand has been made for Knowlden’s safe return,though this has not been confirmed by authorities.The security company has provided CCTV footage after flagging the silver VW Polo used in the abduction,and the case has been transferred to the Hawks for investigation.While police were not yet able to confirm that there had been a ransom demand in the kidnapping of a Gqeberha woman,a security company that was first at the scene following the abduction reports that such a demand had been made.

Lindsay Knowlden,was abducted from the underground parking lot of the Nelson Mandela Bay Fresh Produce Market in Markman on Saturday morning.

“We are aware that the Hawks have received a ransom demand for Lindsay’s safe return. The case is now in the hands of the Hawks and SAPS (South African Police Service),” said Atlas Security in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Atlas also said its control room and teams had been working closely with local authorities,using its extensive network of CCTV cameras across Nelson Mandela Bay to assist in the investigation.

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“We can confirm that the vehicle involved was flagged but,in the interest of the ongoing investigation,further details cannot be shared at this time.”

READ | ‘Wonderful’ and ‘loved by all’ - 65-year-old woman reported kidnapped in Gqeberha Police spokesperson Andre Beetge told News24 that the case had been handed over to the Hawks for investigation.

Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana confirmed that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) was investigating.

“The Eastern Cape Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirms that an investigation into a kidnapping reported on 21 June 2025 in Gqeberha is actively under way. The Hawks have taken over the matter; [the nitty-gritty] around the investigation will not be revealed,due to the sensitivity of the case. The DPCI appeals to the public for any information related to this incident to come forward,” said Mhlakuvana.

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When contacted for comment and asked if he could confirm the information shared by Atlas Security,Knowlden’s son,Gregory,directed News24 to the police.

According to information provided by the security company,Knowlden and her husband were accosted by armed men in the parking lot after arriving for work.

Her husband was assaulted with a gun while she was bundled into a silver VW Polo and driven away.