Detectives need the public’s help in finding a man connected to a violent robbery and kidnapping at a Jamaica car dealership earlier this week.
According to police, Shammel Waite, 22, walked into the dealership located on Douglas Avenue near 170th Street at about 4:45 p.m. on April 2 and confronted a 42-year-old male car dealer. Waite allegedly displayed a firearm, then forced the dealer into a waiting car and took him to the dealer’s home at an undisclosed location.
Upon arriving there, law enforcement sources, Waite and a second, unidentified perpetrator roughed the car dealer up, stole jewelry and his 2004 BMW, then took off. The dealer’s vehicle was later returned to him.
Officers from the 103rd Precinct responded to the incident. No serious injuries were reported.
Sources familiar with the investigation said that the car dealer and the suspects involved are known to each other. The robbery and kidnapping stemmed from an apparent disagreement between the two parties over money.
On Wednesday, the 103rd Precinct posted on its Twitter account wanted fliers featuring Waite’s image and a security camera image of the getaway vehicle used in the caper.
Cops described Waite as a 22-year-old black man standing 5 foot 9 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He’s known to reside within the 105th Precinct’s southeast Queens confines.
The getaway vehicle in question was a four-door, black 2018 Honda sedan with New York plates.
Anyone with information regarding Waite’s whereabouts or the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), visit their website or send a text message to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
