NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Friday, June 16, 2017, 5:26 PM

A terrified Boston restaurant worker flagged down cops Thursday morning in Queens and told them he had been kidnapped over a $50,000 gambling debt by men who threatened to chop off his fingers, sources said.

The 27-year-old man said he escaped their clutches by leaping out of a second-story window in Fresh Meadows and stealing a car, sources said.

Paul Chen, 37, the owner of the car, told the Daily News that he watched in shock as the shirtless man materialized and sped off in his mint green 2007 Toyota Yaris on 67th Ave. near 197th St. in Fresh Meadows about 10:15 a.m. Thursday.

I don't even know when he appeared, Chen said. It was just like out of nowhere and (woosh) in my car. Maybe he was just trying to hide from everyone. I don't know how he got in my car.

Chen, who works as an engineer for a company broadcasting NFL games, called 911.

Meanwhile about two miles east, the kidnapping victim, still in Chens car, flagged down cops near the Long Island Expressway and Bell Blvd. in Flushing and told them the scary tale.

He said the kidnappers threatened to cut off his fingers if he didn't pay back the money he had been loaned to gamble with, sources said.

Chens face crumpled in disbelief when told the man who stole his car was a kidnapping victim.

With his hand over his heart, he said the saving grace was that his baby son was not in the car at the time.

Most important is my family, he said. To be honest I would rather to die than live without my baby. My baby's only 9 months old. Being a father is your primary job.

He had left the keys in the ignition while loading laundry into his car outside his home. He was returning to the car with the second load when the car zoomed off.

It's like a movie. It's scary, he said. He was definitely speeding west. He was undressed, no shirt. I didn't see his pants. He was already in my car.

The car wasnt gone long.

"While I was writing a report I heard a women over the walkie talkie say 'I think I found his car.'"

The kidnapping victim was being loaded into an ambulance at the scene when cops brought him to retrieve it, Chen said.

The victim was taken to Queens Hospital.

Chen said he was unlikely to press charges.

Kidnapping in Boston? It's really scary, Chen said.

The only thing I can say is god bless him. There is nothing I can do. I hope he can recover soon.

Both the police and the FBI are investigating. The FBI did not return phone calls Friday.

Some of Chens neighbors were not surprised the victim was targeted.

If you're in gambling debt, it's obvious people would chase you, said Joe Cheng, 21. If the guy owes $50,000, he had it coming ... You kind of figure someone would be after him.

Excerpt from:

Boston man tells NYPD cops he was kidnapped over gambling debt ... - New York Daily News