Teenager escapes bomb nightmare

Police confirmed this morning that no explosives were found in the device, but refused to elaborate on what was in it.

Madeleine Pulver told police a stranger in a balaclava had attached the device to her after breaking into the family's multimillion-dollar property at Mosman.

The 18-year-old made a phone call to say the intruder had left a ransom note before fleeing the house in Burrawong Avenue about 2.30pm.

GALLERY: Click for more photos of Mosman bomb incident

Just after midnight, police announced that bomb disposal experts had managed to free Ms Pulver from the device.

The teenager was returned to the care of her relieved

She was examined by doctors at Royal North Shore Hospital, but was released at 3am.

''She's in good hands, with mum and dad,'' the police assistant commissioner Mark Murdoch told a media conference about 12.15am today. ''They're the most important people for her to be with right now.''

He added: ''The family has endured something no one needs to endure and, as a parent, something I could never contemplate.''

Two bomb technicians and two police negotiators had worked to secure her release from a front room of the property.

Detectives said they liaised with federal police and had sought advice from bomb disposal experts in Britain.

Bomb Squad at Burrawong Avenue, Mosman. Photo: Brendan Esposito

No contact had been made with anyone else involved in the incident, with police appealing for information from the public.

''We want to get our hands on who's done this and pretty smartly,'' Mr Murdoch said.

The teenager's father, Bill Pulver, 53, a wealthy businessman who runs an international software company, is believed to have been the target of the apparent extortion bid.

Police said Ms Pulver had no direct contact with her parents during the ordeal. The HSC student, who attends the prestigious Wenona girls school in North Sydney, had instead communicated through police with her parents, who waited anxiously outside.

Mr Murdoch described the incident as ''bizarre'' and ''unusual'', saying ''I'm not aware of anything like this happening in the country before.''

Within half an hour of being alerted, police had set up an exclusion zone around the house and evacuated nearby properties. Well-to-do neighbours, who include the racing identity Gai Waterhouse, the former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns, and the former News Ltd chief executive Ken Cowley, were ordered away from the police cordon.

Others, further up the street away from the harbour, were instructed to remain indoors.

The bomb technicians had X-rayed the device in a bid to learn more about its construction.

Mr Murdoch said investigations were being co-ordinated by the robbery and serious crime squad. "There is a device which we are examining, and it is proving a tough nut to crack,'' he said before her release. ''… Until such time as we can be satisfied exactly what it is we will continue to treat it very, very seriously.''

After Ms Pulver was freed, Mr Murdoch added: ''It was a very elaborate, very sophisticated device I believe.''

The senior police officer praised the teenager and her parents for staying calm. He said Ms Pulver had done ''a great job keeping her emotions in check''.

Mr Murdoch said police had to be careful about what they said and did during the drama as they were concerned who was watching the live media reports.

''We are keeping our cards close to our chest,'' he said.

Ms Pulver's Facebook page was flooded with messages from friends, and a Wenona school function was called off last night after news of the ordeal filtered through.

''Maddie, thinking of you,'' said one message on Ms Pulver's page. ''Should never happen to someone as good as you.'' Another read: ''Absolutely horrible. I hope you are OK .'' Others simply posted a heart icon on her page.

Neighbours and friends milling outside the police perimeter last night said Ms Pulver was given food and water while police worked on the suspected bomb.

The area outside was floodlit.

Friends of the 18-year-old huddled while waiting for updates. About a dozen of them embraced when she was released.

A neighbour who did not wish to be named said his family was asked to leave their home.

"My wife was in there and she was evacuated,'' he said. "They were just told to leave the area, so she got in the car and [went] off.''

Another neighbour said she had guests for lunch at the time of the incident. "We saw a mass of police screaming down the road and coming in," she said. "Police rescue and fire engines, and policemen on motorbikes - just masses of police."

A neighbour who was walking his dog near the house this morning said: "If it can happen here it can happen anywhere."

Mr Pulver is the chief executive of Appen Butler Hill, a linguistic solutions company whose clients include Microsoft, IBM, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Toshiba and Motorola. Born in Scone, he has also worked for ACNielsen. Mr Pulver and his wife have three sons as well as their daughter.

with Georgina Cooke, Aaron Cook, Anne Daviesand Glenda Kwek

Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.