ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A young woman was robbed on an Albany sidewalk…then kidnapped and sexually assaulted. She may not have survived had she not escaped her alleged captor’s apartment and ran for help.
Albany Police say it happened Saturday night around 7 p.m. The young woman was robbed about two blocks down New Scotland Ave. Then, she was apparently kidnapped; taken to an apartment building and raped. She may not have survived had she not somehow made it out, and ran to safety.
Albany Police say the young victim in her early twenties somehow freed herself from inside the apartment. Naked and terrified, she ran for her life down New Scotland Avenue toward several busy bars and restaurants.
It was at the back door of a restaurant where the young victim was found knocking on the door for help.
“She said someone stole my car and raped me,” the restaurant owner said.
This owner who preferred to remain somewhat anonymous is the person who helped the desperate young woman. She says she protected the rape victim from the prying eyes of her diners, by quickly helping her into a closet.
“I literally moved her so quickly and she was covered up in a small towel or something. So I just blocked her and moved. I happened to have a change of clothes as I was calling 911,” the owner said.
Albany Police say they had a good description of the alleged attacker, from the victim AND from another woman who claimed she’d been robbed in the 200 block of New Scotland just hours before. Police say ex-convict Jose Marlett was spotted on the street and arrested in short order.
Police say Marlett has been in prison before over to prison is locked up without bail. He’s facing several charges including, Rape, Robbery, Kidnapping and possession of a weapon.
