Detectives are looking for a man who stole an unattended, idling SUV off a Whitestone and torched it after driving a short distance away.
According to police, at 6:45 a.m. on March 24, a 51-year-old man left his white 2003 Chevrolet Suburban running unattended outside of a home on Utopia Parkway near 14th Avenue in the neighborhood’s Beechhurst section. While the car was unattended, an unknown man entered the vehicle and drove off.
The thief then drove the car a short distance, then stopped the SUV, exited it and set it ablaze. The incident was later reported to the 109th Precinct; no injuries were reported.
Police described the perpetrator as a white man in his 20s who was last seen wearing sunglasses, dark jacket and jeans.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
