Long Island Rolex Robbery: Facebook Marketplace Deal Turns Into Hood-Hopping Chase

An $8,000 Facebook Marketplace deal has gone bad on Long Island, with a man who was selling a Rolex watch jumping onto the hood of the thief’s car in a quixotic attempt to keep from being robbed.

Outlook International Desk

Updated on: 29 January 2024 8:46 pm

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A transaction on Facebook Marketplace took a dramatic turn on Long Island when an $8,000 deal for a Rolex watch went awry. The seller, Steve Mauro, found himself in a perilous situation as he attempted to thwart the thief's escape by leaping onto the hood of the getaway car.

Refusing to succumb to the robbery, Mauro, 43, recounted his determination, stating, "I was not going to roll over and let this man take it... without a fight," as he spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday.

The incident unfolded on Friday in front of Mauro's Massapequa Park home, where he had arranged to sell the recently purchased Rolex. The prospective buyer requested Mauro to approach for the payment, but instead of completing the transaction, the thief locked the car doors and accelerated away, according to Nassau County Police.

Coincidentally, patrolling officers in the vicinity witnessed a gray Honda SUV reversing and knocking Mauro to the ground. Undeterred, Mauro clung to the hood, only to be thrown off as the driver fled with the high-end timepiece. Mauro sustained minor cuts to his hand, elbow, and knee, receiving on-site medical attention.

Despite being an experienced Facebook Marketplace seller, Mauro expressed surprise at the unexpected turn of events. "I can always sniff out a scammer from the very beginning, and this guy didn't come across that way at all," he stated. Rushing to nearby officers after being ejected from the SUV, Mauro implored them to apprehend the thief, shouting, "Go get him, he has my Rolex!"

Unfortunately, the thief managed to evade capture before the police could intervene. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward, assuring anonymity through Nassau County Crime Stoppers.