Quebec provincial police have released bank security-camera footage as part of the search for a woman who works for a prominent provincial cabinet minister.

Police have said they believe Nancy Michaud was violently abducted very early Friday morning from her home in Riviere-Ouelle, a town about 140 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

"There are signs of violence inside the residence," police spokesman Claude Ross said Saturday. "There was an altercation. She was then forced outside and into a vehicle, which was parked in back" of her house.

Ross said police have released security-camera footage from a bank machine where a disguised suspect withdrew money from two bank accounts belonging to Michaud and her husband around 1 a.m. ET on Friday.

The video shows a slim person wearing a ski mask, black gloves and dark clothing making a transaction at the automated teller.

"We have no information about the individual after that," Ross said. "They took off."

Michaud's husband reported his wife missing when he came home from work late and found his two young children asleep in the house.

Michaud, 37, is a political assistant to Quebec Natural Resources Minister Claude Béchard. Police said they don't believe there's a link between Michaud's work and her abduction.

Béchard, a prominent provincial cabinet minister, spoke to reporters gathered on the front lawn of Michaud's home on Saturday.

"Everything is being done to try to find Nancy as quickly as possible. It's a difficult time for everyone," Béchard said.

With files from the Canadian Press

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