GrubHub rewards Chipper Truck Cafe in Yonkers for calling police after plea for help came in with a food order
YONKERS, N.Y. - An update on the case of a woman saved from an alleged hostage situation.
The NYPD says she added a note to a GrubHub order, pleading for help.
The delivery app is rewarding the restaurant that contacted police, and CBS2's Tony Aiello has new details on allegations against the suspect.
At the Chipper Truck Cafe on McLean Avenue in Yonkers, gratitude is mixed with concern.
The owners are grateful for well wishes pouring in, while concerned for the young woman police say suffered terrible sex abuse at a home in the Bronx.
"We're just grateful that this girl was saved. This is the most important part of this whole entire story," said cafe co-owner Alice Bermejo.
It was early on June 19 when the 24-hour restaurant received a GrubHub order for a delivery to Pratt Avenue in the Bronx. In the "additional instructions" box, the customer put "please call police... please don't make it obvious."
A worker immediately called co-owner Valentin Bermejo.
"So I said 'call 911, call the cops and give the address for the delivery, and then they can go there and look what's going on,'" Valentin Bermejo said.
Police went to the delivery address three miles away and arrested 32-year-old Kemoy Royal, while rescuing a 24-year-old woman who said Royal raped, abused and held her against her will.
She told police she snuck in the GrubHub plea for help when Royal allowed her to use her phone to order food.
"It scared me. Scared me so much. Yeah, my daughter is not much younger than her, and it's really scary," Alice Bermejo said.
The NYPD says Royal was on their radar. He allegedly sexually abused a female neighbor on June 14 as she visited his apartment.
Police tell CBS2 that first victim managed to escape and report the alleged assault on June 15th. The NYPD responded but could not locate Kemoy Royal. His name was added to a wanted list.
GrubHub is praising the assistance cafe workers provided, and sending a $5,000 check to the small business that played a big role in helping a young woman in trouble.