Westbury woman threatened at knifepoint

First threatened with a knife to her back, and then told that her husband had been kidnapped, a Westbury woman withdrew $3,000 from her bank account Monday in hopes of gaining his safe return, police said.

But her husband was never kidnapped, police said, and the woman was released without injury.

The victim, 39, was waiting at a bus stop at West John and Wycoff streets in Hicksville at 11 a.m., police said, when a woman first engaged her in conversation.

A man then approached her from behind, grabbed her and pressed a knife against her back, police said.

The pair told her that they had her husband, and demanded money for his return, police said. Forcing her into a tan four-door sedan, they drove her first to her home in Westbury to retrieve her wallet and then to the bank to withdraw the money, Nassau police said.

The pair then drove her back home and released her, telling her that her husband was upstairs, police said, and left with the money. Her husband was not home, but she called his cell phone, police said, and found that he had not been kidnapped and was unaware of what was happening until they spoke.

Detectives asked that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.