By Elisha Fieldstadt -
NBC News
A New York woman abducted by a man was rescued Sunday after sending a note to a restaurant through a Grubhub delivery order, according to police and a statement from the restaurant.
"Please call the police,
he will call me when you deliver the order, come with the police, don't make it obvious
," the woman wrote in the "additional instructions" part of her request to The Chipper Truck in the Bronx, according to a Facebook post on the restaurant's page.
According to the restaurant, she placed her order before 5 in the morning.
“I have often heard about this, but I never thought it would happen to us.
Fortunately we were open and were able to help her,” she said.
The distress note was written in the additional instructions section of the Grubhub app. NBC News
The New York Police Department assured that the agents went to the scene around 6:20 am.
The suspect, Kemoy Royal, was arrested on charges of rape, strangulation, criminal sexual act, unlawful imprisonment, menacing, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and sexual abuse.
The victim is 24 years old
, according to police.
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Royal is also accused of attempting to rape a 26-year-old man on June 15.
He is charged with attempted rape, sexual abuse and assault in connection with that case.
It is unclear if he has a lawyer.
Alicia Bermejo, 20, whose parents own The Chipper Truck, said she arrived at the store after the incident.
Two women, one 40 years old and the other 20, attended to the note and called Bermejo's father for guidance because the message was somewhat "incoherent."
The morning news, Thursday June 9, 2022
June 9, 202207:50
He ordered them to cancel the order for a cheeseburger and Irish sandwich and to send in the police instead.
He told them:
"Call 911, fake or not, better send them."
"That was the best for her," said Bermejo about the victim.
"She ended up showing up the police instead of a delivery man."
Bermejo said The Chipper Truck is known as a kind of neighborhood watchdog because the restaurant is open 24 hours a day and its food truck has been operating in the community for 18 years.
Employees have been known to call Uber services or taxis for customers who are late and need to go home.
"This adds a new level and a new meaning," he added.
"I don't think any of us expected something like that."
