A waitress who confronted a group of five dine-and-dashers in Washington Township, New Jersey, chasing them down on foot on Saturday night, was reportedly forced into an SUV, then allegedly abducted, assaulted, and finally ditched by the side of the road.
Police say five suspects abducted and assaulted a waitress who tried to stop them from skipping out on a bill at a popular South Jersey diner. @MattPetrillo reportshttps://t.co/lMphjKEmfU
— CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) June 21, 2021
The incident occurred at roughly 11:30 p.m. when the 20-year-old waitress at Nifty Fifty’s on Route 42 was stiffed on a $70 check by a group of five people. NBC Philadelphia reported, “The group jumped into a white Dodge Durango with New Jersey tags and were starting to leave when the waitress got into a confrontation with them over the $70 check, police said. A woman can be seen on surveillance video getting out of the SUV as the waitress wound up inside the Durango.”
Police said the waitress was assaulted in the back seat and that the driver traveled less than a mile before turning around; police speculated that the driver returned to pick up the woman who had exited the vehicle.
The waitress suffered a possible concussion, police stated. Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik stated, “She’s obviously traumatized by the event. … This is a brazen abduction, it’s a robbery, it’s a potential kidnapping.”
He pointed out that the waitress chased after the car, adding, “The vehicle’s running, the headlights are on, they’re ready to flee the area, the back door’s open, and at that point, there’s some sort of a confrontation at the vehicle and our victim ends up inside the vehicle.”
Gurcsik said, “We’re asking for the public’s assistance in trying to help identify the owner of the vehicle and to go on our Facebook page and help identify the suspects in the photos. So there’s five individuals, three males, and two females,” adding, “Try and get a license plate obviously, try and be able to identify the accused and call 911. We don’t recommend chasing customers in the parking lots,” CBS Philadelphia reported.
“The waitress, who didn’t have her cellphone on her, eventually got away after being dropped near the Aldi across Route 42. She then made her way back across busy Route 42 before calling 911 from the diner,” NBC Philadelphia stated.
Police have asked the FBI for help in locating the suspects. “Anyone with information is asked to call police at 856-589-0330 ext 1160 or you can email tips to Det. M.Longfellow at [email protected].,” ABC 6 reported.
The New Jersey code defines kidnapping as follows:
Holding for ransom, reward or as a hostage. A person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully removes another from the place where he is found or if he unlawfully confines another with the purpose of holding that person for ransom or reward or as a shield or hostage.
Holding for other purposes. A person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully removes another from his place of residence or business, or a substantial distance from the vicinity where he is found, or if he unlawfully confines another for a substantial period, with any of the following purposes:
(1) To facilitate commission of any crime or flight thereafter;
(2) To inflict bodily injury on or to terrorize the victim or another
(3) To interfere with the performance of any governmental or political function; or
(4) To permanently deprive a parent, guardian or other lawful custodian of custody of the victim.