A Belfast couple and their 16-month-old grandchild were taken hostage by armed robbers trying to extort money from them.
Police said three armed and masked men entered their home in the Greater Belfast area on Thursday night and guarded them, before ordering the woman to withdraw cash from her Post Office employer.
The trio were released, unharmed, yesterday, and no money was handed over.
A police spokeswoman said: "The hostages managed to free themselves and, although not physically harmed, were left traumatised by their terrifying ordeal."
The ambush began at 11pm when the gang targeted the house in the so-called tiger kidnapping.
Yesterday morning, one of the gang drove the woman to the Post Office on the Stewartstown Road, in West Belfast, in her black Peugeot car. It was later found abandoned in the Corrib Avenue area of Lenadoon. Detectives have appealed for anybody with information to contact them.
Sinn Fein Assemblyman Paul Maskey condemned the robbers. "It is unacceptable for anyone to be targeted in this way, especially when a baby is also in the house. It is important that those responsible are quickly caught," he said.
"People within West Belfast will be angered at this turn of events.
"I would once again send my sympathies to the individual involved and her family and I and my party shall offer them every support as they come to terms with this ordeal."
PA