Three arrested for $100k robbery, kidnapping in Valley Stream

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Nassau County police arrested three people, two from Valley Stream, for kidnapping and robbery after a woman allegedly lured a 23-year-old man into her apartment, where she and two accomplices reportedly beat the man and stole nearly $100,000 in necklaces and watches. The trio’s plan unraveled, police said, after the victim escaped from his own moving vehicle while kidnapped, and ran to a nearby police precinct.

According to detectives, on March 17 at around 10 p.m. Karina Giordano, 46, invited the victim up to her South Cottage Avenue apartment, where her roommate and his brother allegedly hit him over the head with a handgun, punched him and hit him with a rubber mallet after he refused to give over a Rolex watch.

After he surrendered the watch and two necklaces worth around $87,000, his keys, cell phone, ID and all the money he was carrying, the three tied him up and taped his mouth shut. Giordano then allegedly walked outside to the victim’s vehicle and stole another Rolex watch worth around $14,500.

The brothers then threw the victim inside his vehicle and followed Giordano, who was driving another vehicle, to the victim’s home to gain access to his personal safe. Despite being tied up, the victim managed to escape his own vehicle while it passed the Nassau County 4th Precinct and ran inside to notify the officers there of what happened to him.

After an investigation, all three were arrested.

In addition to Giordano, who was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree conspiracy and second-degree grand larceny, her roommate Matthew Horan, 31, was also arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree robbery, second-degree kidnapping, third-degree criminal possession of a weapons, second-degree grand larceny and second-degree assault.

The third accomplice is believed to be Andrew Horan, 34, of Saddlebrook, N.J. He was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, second-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal use of a firearm.

All three were arraigned on March 30 at the First District Court in Hempstead.

Information on the suspects' attorneys was not available at press time. 

-Compiled by Peter Belfiore