Victim robbed of Rolex outside Massapequa home represents cautionary tale: 'It wasn't wise'
MASSAPEQUA, Long Island (WABC) -- The victim of an online deal gone bad on Long Island is speaking out after attempting to stop a man from stealing his expensive watch.
Frightening moments for the victim, Steven Mauro, were caught on camera as he desperately tried to retrieve his stolen Rolex watch.
Video shows the man as he jumps on the hood before he's thrown onto the front yard of his Massapequa home.
"I met him, I originally thought that we just sort of meet on the stoop, but because he left his car running, he wanted me to meet him on the driveway," Mauro said.
Mauro says it was an online deal gone bad. He posted his Rolex watch to sell on Facebook Marketplace.
"I use it all the time for little things like my son's toys that he's using or whatever and I have local moms come to the house and pick up a toy," he said. "I've done it 50 times through the course of time."
Mauro says he met with a man, who goes by the online name John, to give his Rolex watch in exchange for $7,300.
"He said, 'Alright, let's go get you paid. Why don't you sit passenger so we can conduct business,'" Mauro said.
The husband and father's fear was that with the vehicle running, the passenger side door would be locked and the buyer would jump in the Honda SUV first, lock him out and drive off, which is exactly what happened.
"It was dopey. It was definitely not my best moment but I survived," Mauro said.
Mauro suffered just some scrapes and bruises.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Pat Ryder is now warning others about negotiating deals online and in person.
"So, if you're going to do it, you can come to a station house, you can come in front of a police station house. It's going to tell a bad guy, don't come here," Ryder said.
As for the brazen driver who stole the watch, Mauro says he's not happy with him.
"He's a punk," he said. "The way it went down was really, it wasn't wise. I just never expected it."
Nassau County Police are looking at possibly creating safe drop-off locations throughout the county.
The commissioner says the NYPD is investigating similar incidents in New York City with a similar vehicle.
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