$130 ransom

as we approach the end of spring break, i thought i would bring you some island news...staten island that is!

robert jemmott and his girlfriend, army reservist tamika atanda, a couple from staten island, abducted a friend's wife and held her for, believe it or not, $130 ransom. while the dollar amount of the ransom alone makes them special, these crackerjack kidnappers were caught when they stopped at a deli for food while leaving their bound and gagged victim in plain sight in the backseat of their car. that's when cops spotted them.

the couple are accused of embarking on their scheme tuesday night after jemmott grew infuriated that his friend, darryn berry, would not repay the $130 he had borrowed. jemmott and atanda, confronted berry and his wife, michelle rodriguez, outside a laundromat, where atanda allegedly punched berry in the face. jemmott then grabbed rodriguez and forced her into the backseat of his chevy lumina. as the couple sped off, jemmott called berry and threatened the hostage's safety, according to officials. "if i don't get the money by 10:30, i'm going to do something to your wife I don't want to do," jemmott warned. berry called 911 and provided a description of jemmott's car, leading cops to close in on the lumina outside the deli a short time later. jemmott was arrested as soon as he stepped outside the store.

a loaded .38-caliber handgun was found in the glove compartment and cops also discovered five zip bags of crack cocaine in atanda's purse. atanda's mother commented on the situation when she heard: "i can't believe this is happening!...it's not in her character, I don't understand this...tamika is on her own on this one!" atta girl mom!

staten island's bonnie and clyde were held without bail yesterday after they were arraigned on kidnapping, weapons and drug charges in staten island criminal court. my point, and i do have one is...just when you think that people can't get any stupider they prove us wrong. bravo!