Man answered ads on cars for sale, then stole them, police say

A Queens Village man faces arraignment Wednesday on multiple robbery charges after police said he answered internet ads about cars for sale then stole the vehicles — once after flashing a handgun tucked into his waistband.

Nassau County police said Navindra Naidu, 19, was arrested on a warrant out of Nassau after being located at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Police did not immediately release any information regarding why Naidu was being held in New Jersey.

Police said that on at least three occasions Naidu answered ads regarding cars for sale, then stole the vehicles. Those thefts occurred on May 29 in East Meadow, June 4 in Westbury and June 5 in Roosevelt.

In one case, police said Naidu dragged a victim who'd grabbed the car door trying to stop him, while in another he hit a female victim in the head with the car door. In the Westbury incident police said Naidu flashed the "butt of a handgun in his waistband" when the victim attempted to stop him. It was not clear if police have recovered any weapon.

Police said that on May 29 Naidu arranged to meet a 34-year-old male victim in East Meadow to test drive a vehicle being offered for sale on an undisclosed internet site. After the test drive, which took place about 10:30 p.m., police said Naidu "jumped into the driver's seat and began to drive away in the victim's car." The victim tried to stop Naidu, police said, grabbing the driver's door, but was "dragged by the car" — resulting in a shoulder injury.

On June 4, police said, Naidu arranged to meet with a 31-year-old male victim who was selling a vehicle online. After the test drive, which took place about 9:15 p.m., police said Naidu again started to drive off with the vehicle and said that when the victim attempted to get back into the car to stop him Naidu "pulled his shirt up, exposing the butt of a handgun in his waistband." Naidu then drove off, police said.

A day later, police said Naidu met a 39-year-old female victim around 10:30 p.m. in Roosevelt about a vehicle being offered for sale on line. Naidu asked to take the car for a test drive, but police said the female victim refused.

Police said Naidu then "physically removed the car keys from the victim" and got into the car. When the woman tried to stop Naidu, police said he hit her in the head with the car door, causing a laceration over the victim's eye.

He then took off in the stolen car, police said.

It was not immediately clear Wednesday what mode of transportation Naidu used to reach the individual locations where he met with sellers and police would not say if Major Case Bureau detectives are searching for an accomplice.

Naidu is charged with first-degree robbery and four counts of second-degree robbery, police said. He was held after arraignement at First District Court in Hempstead on $300,000 bond or $150,000 cash.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”