The Brooklyn home of the owner of Willoughby’s Camer a was “ransacked” Tuesday night by three robbers who locked two children in a bathroom and made off in the family Ferrari, police said.
Isaac Douek, the 17-year-old son of Joseph Douek, was in his bedroom when the trio broke into the family’s home on E. Seventh St. in Midwood shortly after 7 p.m.
Armed with a screwdriver, the robbers first encountered Isaac’s 12-year-old sister, Jacqueline, who was doing her homework in the basement.
“My sister thought they were firemen, and she led them to me,” a shaken Isaac told the Daily News after speaking to police investigators Tuesday night.
The robbers forced their way in through a side door.
Isaac, whose parents were not home at the time, said the robbers locked his sister, a housekeeper and him in a bathroom – and then picked the place clean.
“They pointed and I followed,” Isaac said, describing how the thugs herded them into the bathroom.
No one was injured in the break-in, police said.
“They ransacked the house. They took everything. We can’t even keep track of what they got away with,” Isaac he said.
There was one big-ticket item the robbers overlooked: the family’s Maserati, parked across the street from the home and partly obscured by a coating of frozen-over snow.
Before the thugs broke into the Douek home, they tried to bash their way into a neighboring residence.
“They broke our kitchen window with a shovel,” said Eddie Sabbagh, 24.
But the thugs suddenly changed course and targeted the Douek home, perhaps lured by the black Ferrari in the driveway.
After looting the Doueks’ place, the robbers used the Ferrari as a flashy getaway car.
Cops spotted the high-performance car and chased after it, forcing the thugs to abandon the luxury ride at 20th and McDonald Aves. in Mapleton, police said.
“We spotted the car and were following it,” a police source said.
The trio was still in the wind Tuesday night.
Joseph Douek owns legendary camera store Willoughby’s Konica Imaging Center on Fifth Ave., Isaac Douek said.
He is also a close friend of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.
Isaac Douek said his sister is traumatized by the break-in. “She has been terribly affected by this,” he said.
(Source: NY Daily News)
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10 Responses
With the state of the economy, these things are getting more common, and thieves are getting bolder.
As a result, homeowners have to be even more vigilant.
I’m sure this home has an alarm, but probably was not on because people were at home.
We should get into the habit of putting our alarms on, EVEN when we are home, even it is a bit inconvenient. Smashing the window with a shovel shows these guys were not skilled, hi-tech thieves, and a loud alarm may well have scared them off.
But the thugs suddenly changed course and targeted the Douek home, perhaps lured by the black Ferrari in the driveway.
למה תתראו?
I agree with msseeker (no. 2). It’s just plain dumb for anyone to flash his wealth in a time of economic depression. Our sages warned us of this many hundreds of years ago.
Yidden have rachmonus.
Loh aleichem – I was the victim of a home invasion with a ’96 Ford Windstar parked in my driveway.
B’H no one was hurt.
2 and 3. Mind ur own business. He is a big baal tzedaka
#2, I don’t know what kind of car you drive but Lamah Tisrauh is very relative. I’m sure there are people who consider your lifestyle too flashy compared to theirs. Lets learn not to judge anyone, just sympathize with them and pray that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.
in that neighborhood there have been many, many break-ins. Please make sure you lock your windows and doors. Possibly get bars for the windows. Have your security systems working. Unfortunately, with the economy bad, it’s making people desperate. B’ezrat Hashem, hope everyone stays safe.
Nice ride!!!
I live on his block and let me tell u, I’ve never even seen the car and I see him a lot! He leaves it in the back…
Anyone who buys a ferrari is asking for people to comment about it. Terrible situation hope the trauma is short lived.