Fake Cop Kidnaps 14-Year-Old Girl Off Long Island Street; Harrowing Escape Follows

A Bay Shore man who pretended to be a police officer and kidnapped a 14-year-old girl off a Long Island street in the middle of the afternoon Wednesday is now in custody, authorities say.

The 14-year-old was walking with a 16-year-old girl on Herbert Avenue in Lindenhurst around 3:35 p.m. when the man, who was driving a white Nissan SUV, rolled up to them and identified himself as a cop, Suffolk County police said Thursday. He was not in uniform, and did not show a badge.

The girls told the man they were walking to the library, at which point the man told the girls to get in the SUV and he'd give them a ride because he was investigating gang activity in the area and it was not safe to walk, authorities said. Both girls got into the vehicle. Once they got to the library parking lot, the man told the 16-year-old girl to get out of his SUV so he could speak to the younger girl, police said.

Then he drove off, the 14-year-old girl still in his car, to a nearby secluded park. He parked his SUV there and began to touch the child and say inappropriate things but she was able to fight him off, kick the door open and get out of the vehicle, police said. She ran to a nearby home for help and the homeowner called 911.

According to police, at the time that the man kidnapped the 14-year-old, her friend located a crossing guard across the street and told them what happened. The crossing guard also called 911.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said the county's officers and detectives worked through the night to solve the disturbing case, using security videos from the area to piece together the incident and identify the suspect.

"This was a disturbing and frightening case and I am proud to announce its quick and successful conclusion with the arrest of the man responsible for abducting these two teenagers," Hart said. "I'd like to commend the brave 14- and 16-year-old girls who realized they were in danger and the 14-year-old girl who fought off this man...her courageousness ensured her safety and allowed us to take this perpetrator off the streets."

Police arrested Donald Christiano Jr., 46, Thursday morning as he was leaving the rooming house where he lives in Bay Shore. He was charged with two counts of kidnapping in the second degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, criminal impersonation in the first degree and one count of luring a child.

Attorney information for Christiano was not immediately known.

Although police released a photo of the vehicle allegedly involved in the kidnapping and of the accused, their investigation is ongoing. Authorities urge anyone who may have had any interactions with Christiano to call the First Squad at 631-854-8152.

Authorities also remind the public if they are every approached by anyone who identifies themselves as an undercover police officer, to ask them for identification and their badge. "If you are not comfortable, go to a public place immediately and place a call to 911," Hart said.