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Man Gropes Sleeping Passenger in Stolen Car Before Setting it on Fire: NYPD

By Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska | September 5, 2016 12:58pm
 Police are looking for a man who they said jumped into a running car in St. Albans and groped a woman sleeping in the back seat.
Police are looking for a man who they said jumped into a running car in St. Albans and groped a woman sleeping in the back seat.
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NYPD

QUEENS — Police are looking for a man they said jumped into a running unattended car in St. Albans, groped a woman sleeping in the backseat and later set the vehicle on fire. 

Over the weekend, the NYPD released surveillance video of the suspect who can be seen dancing by himself shortly before the incident on Sunday, Aug. 28, authorities said. 

According to published reports, the car belonged to a couple who pulled into a parking lot near Springfield and Merrick boulevards in St. Albans about 2 a.m. on their way home from a wedding.

The 29-year-old driver got out of the car to relieve himself and asked the suspect for directions. Instead of answering, the suspect jumped into the car and sped off, according to the Daily News.

Police could not confirm these details Monday.

The 26-year-old woman who was sleeping in the backseat of the car woke up shortly after to find the suspect groping her, officials said.

The woman fought the man off and managed to get out of the car near 135th Street and Farmers Boulevard, less than a mile away from where it had been stolen, police said.

The suspect then drove off and parked the car at 140-45 Coombs St. and set it on fire before fleeing on foot, police said.

The suspect is described as bald, 6-foot-tall and weighing about 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, green and black plaid shorts and blue socks, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).