Law enforcement reports indicate that two armed men posing as Amazon delivery workers broke into a home in Queens, taking the family by surprise. They restrained the victims, including three young children, using duct tape.
According to police, one suspect, dressed in an Amazon vest and another in a black hoodie, entered a detached home located at 152-14 12th Avenue in Whitestone just after 9 AM on a Monday. It appears one of the children, who had already left for school, inadvertently left the front door open, facilitating the intruders’ entry.
Upon entering, the assailants forced the family into the basement at gunpoint, binding them and covering their mouths with duct tape. After ransacking the house, they took off in the family’s silver Chrysler minivan, making off with an undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry.
Police reported that the vehicle was found abandoned just two blocks away from the crime scene.
John Nardone, who had just arrived for work, witnessed a father emerging from the house, his face covered in duct tape. Nardone approached and asked if he was alright. The man replied that his children were still inside.
He immediately called 911. “Honestly, I was a bit confused by what he was saying,” Nardone recounted. “His English wasn’t very clear, and he looked shaken, not really grasping the situation, but he was definitely anxious.”
Law enforcement quickly responded to the scene. Nardone informed the officers of what he had witnessed. “He was upset and frightened, probably unsure of what was happening to him,” Nardone added.
Feeling a bit on edge himself, Nardone noted that it was his second day at a new job and he didn’t want to be tardy. It was such a peculiar situation that he initially questioned whether it was real. “I’ve never encountered anything like that,” he mentioned, expressing disbelief at the unfolding events.
Authorities continue to search for the suspects, and the investigation is ongoing. They are reviewing surveillance footage to help identify the armed individuals involved in this disturbing incident.
