Caught on video: Long Island man jumps on hood of suspect's car during robbery
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. - A Long Island father says he's emotionally rattled and physically scarred following a confrontation outside his home with a prospective Facebook Marketplace buyer.
The suspect contacted the owner and agreed to pay $8,000 for a Rolex watch and then drove to his home, allegedly with the cash. But it was all a scam.
"He already had the watch in his hands. It all happened very, very quickly," Steven Mauro said.
Mauro, a Massapequa resident, was left with cuts and bruises and only the documents from his $8,000 Rolex timepiece. His neighbor's camera caught the wild exchange as Maura jumped on the hood of the car of the crook to prevent him from driving off in a gray Honda SUV with the luxury designer Swiss watch on his wrist.
"I met him on the driveway. He looked through the paperwork. He checked out the certificate. I mean, what's a Rolex without the certificate of authenticity?" Mauro said.
Mauro said he's often bought and sold on Facebook marketplace, but nothing of this value.
"It wasn't until he asked me to get into the passenger seat that I immediately realized - red flag," Mauro said. "When he threw me off the hood, he just took right off, and was gone."
"We don't recommend anyone jumping on a car. We do not recommend that you take matters into your own hands," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. "Have a buddy system. Have multiple people out there."
Choose a safe spot in a well-let area, such as a stationhouse, or commercial property. Suffolk County has designated areas for social media transactions, following an uptick in scams and larcenies.
"Not my brightest move, but I didn't want to let him go without putting up a flight," Mauro said.
The Honda may have been stolen. The Connecticut plates might be fake.
The robber claimed to come from New Jersey, but police said he left a trail.
"A similar scam that is going on in New York City, with this same type of vehicle and physical description. We are working with New York City right now, trying to run that down," Ryder said.
Mauro said a Nassau officer patrolling the area may have spooked the thief, who drove onto a lawn during his getaway.
Mauro said his Rolex wasn't insured, and this is all an expensive lesson that he says won't be repeated.
Police say the suspect scrubbed his social media and texting accounts, but that they are getting strong leads in the case.
