Wife of New Hampshire senator abducted, then set free, police s

McLEAN, Va. -- The wife of Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., was abducted at knife point from her home on Tuesday morning, but later released unharmed, said suburban Virginia police and spokesmen for the senator.

Police said that 52-year-old Kathleen Gregg arrived at her house about 9:30 a.m. to find two men waiting inside. One drew a knife and demanded cash, said Jacki Smith, a spokeswoman for the Fairfax County Police Department.

One of the men then drove her to a nearby bank while the other followed in another car, Smith said, reporting that after the men received an undisclosed amount of cash from a teller, they fled the scene in a car and the woman called police.

Sgt. Jeff Gossett of the Fairfax County Police Department said there was "no indication at this time they knew who she was."

Gossett said the senator's wife was "here at the bank, being interviewed by detectives."

"She's unharmed," Gossett said. "She's not injured."

He said the tellers were not aware of any problem as Mrs. Gregg asked to withdraw money from her bank account. Gosset said police have no reason to believe she was targeted because she is the senator's wife. He said he did not know where the senator was at the time.

Gosset said it was similar to a robbery that happened in the county last week, but police have not confirmed whether the two incidents were connected. It's "very bold, it's very brazen," he said.

The bank is in the heart of a busy suburban shopping district about five miles from Gregg's house.

They have three children, two daughters and a son.

"This morning, Kathy Gregg was a victim of a violent robbery. Her life was threatened and it was a terrifying experience," said a statement from Gregg's Senate office.

"Thanks to quick decisions made by Mrs. Gregg, she is doing fine and out of harm's way," it said. "This is an ongoing police investigation, so we have no further comment at this time."

Agents from the FBI's Washington field office are assisting Fairfax County police into the investigation of the abducution of Mrs. Gregg, spokeswoman Debbie Weierman said. She had no other details about the probe.