By:Robert Remler
Detectives are searching for clues to the gunpoint robbery of a 60-year-old Woodmere woman, who was pushed to the ground by carjackers before they drove away in her vehicle in Valley Stream last week, authorities said.
The carjacking occurred near Jennifer Convertibles, on Green Acres Road, at 7:20 p.m., Monday, Feb. 20, police said.
Four hours later the car, a 2000 Acura equipped with Lo-jack, was recovered undamaged in Rosedale, Queens.
"That's what they do now with these cars," said Det. Robert Goetchius of the Fifth Precinct. "They steal them in Green Acres and drive them just over the road in Rosedale. Then they park them in the street."
Car thieves leave the stolen car in the street for one or two days to see if it is loaded with Lo-jack, a tracking device, according to Goetchius. "Because if it has Lo-jack in it and they drive it to the chop shop, they are going to have the cops at their front door.
"This woman knew that these people were looking at her," he said. They followed her into the store and out of the store as well, he said. She was nervous, went back into the store and then decided just to walk out to her car.
She saw the two men standing nearby when she approached her car, police said. Police are looking for two men they describe as black, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds. One of the men wore a Giants jacket and the other wore a hooded sweatshirt over his head, police said.
After the woman pressed her remote key to unlock the car, the two men rapidly approached her, police said. She saw them approach and screamed, police said.
"Shut up, I have a gun," police said that the man with the hooded sweatshirt told her. The woman told police that the man showed her a small black revolver in his right hand.
While the gun was pointed at the woman, the man wearing the Giants jacket jumped into the passenger seat. The other man then pushed the woman down to the asphalt pavement and grabbed her keys, police said.
The two fled east in the car toward Stern's.
The woman sustained cuts after being pushed to the ground, but refused medical attention, according to the police.
"All these malls have security," Goetchius said. "When she was suspicious she should have called security and she shouldn't have left the building. She knew these people were targeting her and she still went outside by herself."
He recommended that the woman should have at least told a salesperson who could have contacted the store's security or police.
Currently, Goetchius is waiting to see if fingerprints that have been lifted from the car match those on file.
Nancy Gilbert, regional marketing director for the Green Acres Mall, declined comment. She said she lacked all the information about the incident.
Nassau Police Public Information Officer Aronson said that when shopping at the Green Acres Mall people should park in well-lighted areas, "as close to the main entrances as you possibly can where there are other people around."
If you are being robbed, Aronson said, try to avoid getting in the car with the robbers. Aronson said this is especially important for women. "They should shout and scream to attract attention. That's the best thing you can do."
