Blade-Wielding Suspect Arrested for Attempted Kidnapping in Queens
A disturbing incident unfolded in Queens this week as a 2-year-old girl narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt by a knife-wielding suspect. The suspect, identified as Peter Vonderhofen, 32, allegedly approached the child’s mother on his bike, threatening her with a knife and demanding the baby. The mother was quick to react, and the suspect fled the scene near Atlantic Avenue and 109th Street in South Richmond Hill. Fortunately, both the mother and child were unharmed, and Vonderhofen was apprehended by police within 30 minutes of the incident.
Further investigations revealed that Vonderhofen was also linked to two armed robberies that occurred in the same vicinity less than 24 hours prior to the kidnapping attempt. In one incident, he allegedly stole a woman’s purse at knifepoint, while in another, he snatched a man’s cell phone while threatening him with a knife. Both robberies took place at the same intersection where the attempted kidnapping occurred.
Vonderhofen now faces charges of first-degree robbery for each of the robbery incidents, as well as charges of second-degree attempted kidnapping, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17, and menacing in the second degree.
