GIRL HELD TO RANSOM

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 6

GIRL HELD TO RANSOM

Kidnappers’ Bid Foiled (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) SULTAN (Washington), Dec. 14. A cool-headed teen-ager kidnapped by two men at knifepoint, escaped today by stealing her abductors' car. The girl, Hazel Oelrich, 17-year-old daughter of a local bank manager, was kidnapped on the front porch of her home and held for 25,000 dollars. The girl drove off in the kidnappers’ car after they had forced her to telephone her father. Miss Oelrich drove the car back to her father’s bank and was taken home. She was home resting in bed two hours after the kidnap attempt. Two of her classmates saw the men, who, they said, were dressed in khakhi Army clothing, escort Miss Oelrich from her home to the car. Her home is just across the street from the school. The girl said two heavy-set men met her on her front porch as she was leaving for school. One placed a hunting knife at her back and forced her into a car. She was told to drive to Everett, about 20 miles west of Sultan. The man with the knife and his accomplice said they would follow her in another car and would be watching every move she made. On the way to Everett Miss Oelrich said, her abductors made her telephone her father, George Oelrich, at the bank.