Wild Video Shows Man Jumping on Hood of a Car to Stop Thief Stealing His Rolex
A Long Island man had a pricey Rolex watch stolen from him after arranging a sale through a buyer on Facebook Marketplace. And the would-be seller was lucky to escape unharmed after the thief sped off, first knocking him to the ground and continuing to flee even after he jumped on the hood of the car.
Steve Mauro is no stranger selling items online, and never had an issue using Facebook Marketplace. As such, he didn't think twice before listing the watch for $8,000, and quickly got a bite from a potential buyer willing to come to his home. The man, identified only as "Jhon," asked a lot of questions and planned to meet Mauro at his Massapequa, NY home around 11 a.m. on Friday morning.
"I listed the thing, I got an immediate response and the guy negotiated, which they never do if they're scammers," Mauro told New York's NBC 4 News. "He negotiated, I thought I had a real deal here."
Even the in-person interaction raised no immediate red flags. However, things took a turn when the man asked Mauro to accompany him to his gray Honda parked outside to supposedly finish the transaction.
"He's like, 'go hop in the passenger [seat].' He said it so nonchalant," Mauro explained. But when he tried to open the door it was locked, at which point he quickly tried to rush the driver's side door.
"I opened [the door], he then tried to close it and then while he put the car in reverse, so that's what threw me to the ground," he recalled. "I picked myself up, jumped on the hood and then he took me for a ride. I was tossed on my front lawn, launched off of the hood. I told the cop, 'go get the guy.'"
Coincidentally enough, a Nassau County police officer happened to be on patrol when all this was going down, and sped off after the Honda. Unfortunately, the driver evaded the officer and authorities are now searching for the man and his Honda, which may have had Connecticut license plates.
It will likely be a long shot whether Mauro gets the watch back, but in the meantime he says the incident can be chalked up as a cautionary tale over the potential dangers of online marketplaces. His message to others selling items online is not to be afraid to asking for cash up front and never let your guard down.
"Large items like this, I probably wouldn't do it out of my house," he added. "That was probably my mistake."
