Queens, New York — A routine stop outside a busy Long Island City shopping center turned into a frightening ordeal Saturday night after a car thief allegedly drove off with a 72-year-old blind man still sitting inside the vehicle, leaving the senior unaware he was even being carjacked.
According to police and family members, the incident unfolded around 7:15 p.m. near the intersection of 44 Drive and 23 Street, just outside a Target store in Queens. The elderly man had been waiting in the passenger seat of his son’s idling Subaru while the younger man briefly went inside the store.
Moments later, investigators say, an unknown suspect jumped into the vehicle and sped off, apparently not realizing — or not caring — that the blind senior was still inside.
“He didn’t know what was happening”
The victim’s wife said her husband, who is visually impaired, had no immediate understanding that the car had been stolen.
“He was in the car, but he’s blind — he didn’t know what was happening,” she said. “He didn’t complain because he’s not really aware.”
She explained that the suspect never spoke to her husband as the car drove away, leaving him confused rather than alarmed. Believing his son was simply driving, the elderly man attempted to call him from inside the moving vehicle.
“He’s calling my son, but nobody answered,” she said.
Unaware of the danger he was in, the senior remained calm as the car traveled several miles through Queens.
Panic sets in when son returns
When the 34-year-old son exited the Target and returned to the parking spot, he was met with a shocking scene: both the car and his father were gone.
“He left his dad in the car, and once he came back, it’s gone,” the victim’s wife said. “The car was gone, and my husband was gone, too.”
Realizing what had happened, the son immediately contacted police, fearing the worst. Officers from the New York City Police Department launched a search for both the stolen vehicle and the elderly passenger.
Vehicle later found abandoned in Maspeth
Police say the stolen Subaru was later recovered nearly three miles away, abandoned near 53rd Avenue and 44th Street in an industrial section of Maspeth.
The blind senior was found still inside the vehicle and unharmed, authorities confirmed. He was reunited with his family shortly afterward.
While the outcome could have been far worse, the emotional toll on the family remains heavy.
“They must go to jail,” the victim’s wife said of the suspect. “What they did was not right.”
As of the latest update, no arrests have been made, and the suspect remains at large.
A dangerous reminder about idling vehicles
Police say the incident highlights a growing problem in New York City: opportunistic car thefts involving unattended, running vehicles, even for short periods of time.
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While no injuries were reported in this case, authorities warn that such crimes can quickly escalate — especially when vulnerable individuals, including seniors or children, are involved.
Officials continue to urge drivers to:
- Never leave a vehicle running and unattended
- Remove keys even during brief stops
- Remain alert in busy parking lots and commercial areas
Investigation ongoing
Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and traffic cameras in hopes of identifying the suspect and tracking the vehicle’s movements.
Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact local authorities as the investigation continues.
The family says they are grateful the situation did not end in tragedy — but shaken by how easily it happened.
What do you think should be done to prevent crimes like this, especially when seniors and vulnerable people are involved? Share your thoughts in the comments.
