A New York City rideshare driver was reportedly carjacked at gunpoint last week in a terrifying late-night encounter when four masked men brazenly demanded a ride, according to the authorities.

The incident happened March 23 at 1:30 a.m. when the 51-year-old driver was inside his Toyota Highlander SUV in Lower Manhattan.

Authorities said when the driver refused to take them to a specific location, one of the men allegedly brandished a gun and forcibly removed him from the vehicle.

The hijackers then sped off in the SUV, driving it all the way to Newark, New Jersey, where it was later recovered, according to the New York Post. 

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The suspects were last reported at large, with police continuing their search for the brazen crew.

Officials released video showing the masked suspects entering what appeared to be a bodega, all wearing black hooded sweatshirts pulled up and black face masks.

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It was not immediately clear whether the victim worked for a specific rideshare company, but the vehicle had TLC plates, specialized license plates issued by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission required for any ridesharing vehicles, including Uber and Lyft, the Post reported. 

Police confirmed the driver was not injured in the ordeal, the outlet added.

Fox News reached out to NYPD Crimes Stoppers for more information.

Costco shoppers are hopping into a debate over an oversized Easter treat that’s far too big to fit in any basket.

Members have been buzzing about the wholesale giant’s chocolate Easter bunny. It’s a seasonal sweet priced at $112.97 online and up to $140 in some stores, depending on location — and it comes with instructions to smash it apart using a hammer, mallet or rolling pin.

The 10-pound giant bunny is being sold as an oversized Easter centerpiece and shareable dessert. 

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The semi-solid bunny is made with milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate, according to the packaging, and contains 151 servings.

The box also details how to actually eat it.

Shoppers can either smash the bunny by wrapping it in a towel and giving it “one bold whack” with a hammer, mallet or rolling pin — or slice it using a warmed serrated bread knife, according to package instructions shared online.

The product, nicknamed “Pete the Bunny,” according to the box, quickly sparked reaction across social media, where commenters have debated everything from the price and chocolate quality to whether anyone could actually buy that much candy at once.

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In one Costco Reddit thread, a shopper shared a photo of the bunny priced at $139.99, prompting one commenter to write, “I wonder how many would actually buy it.”

Others questioned whether such a large amount of chocolate made sense for most households. 

“So excessive,” one person said.

“I can’t imagine the target audience for this,” another Redditor wrote. 

“I wouldn’t want to eat chocolate that tons of other people have touched, but I also couldn’t eat that by myself or with my family, so who is it for?!”

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Some commenters saw it as more of a spectacle than a staple.

“It honestly looks like the ultimate Easter statement piece,” one shopper noted, while another suggested it could work for group settings, such as a kid’s birthday.

Laura Lamb, who runs the social media account Costco Hot Finds, shared a video of the massive bunny and said it would be the “funniest Easter centerpiece.”

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“This one had people stopping in their tracks,” the Texas-based content creator said. 

But not everyone was convinced.

“Ummm, for $140 Pete can STAY at Costco,” one Instagram user commented on Lamb’s video. 

On TikTok, someone else joked, “For $140, does Pete do the dishes and babysit?”

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Others pointed out that the bunny costs nearly as much as filling up a tank of gas right now, while some bashed the quality of the candy.

In a Reddit thread for residents of Lincoln, Nebraska, one commenter described it as “10 lbs. of the worst chocolate,” while another called it “chocolate wax.”

Some users pushed back on the criticism, noting that the price per pound makes sense, and Lamb called it “delicious.” 

One commenter said the cost worked out to roughly $13.50 per pound, describing it as “right around the average cost for chocolate.”

Maud Borup, a Minnesota food company that makes the bunny, said it is made from fair-trade chocolate and is only being sold at Costco for now, USA Today reported. “One giant bunny, 100 little moments of chocolate,” the company told the outlet in a statement.

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Others suggested creative ideas for handling the massive bunny, such as smashing it up and saving it for later use in desserts like cookies or hot chocolate.

One Reddit user, citing the nutritional label, noted that the treat contains 19 grams of sugar per serving — adding up to 2,869 grams, or more than 6 pounds of sugar, across its 151 servings.

In the days leading up to Easter, some shoppers also reported seeing markdowns, depending on location.

One Costco customer on Reddit said the bunny had been discounted by $100 at a California warehouse, while others in the thread reported prices dropping to around $50 — or even about $30 — at select locations. 

“I wonder how much the price will drop after Easter,” another commenter said, as others pointed to Costco’s 5-pound Valentine’s Day chocolate heart, which some said they picked up post-holiday for just $20.

The family of a missing Oakland business owner is ramping up search efforts across the East Bay, calling on residents to review security footage as volunteers and law enforcement widen the hunt.

About 60 people from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office joined the search, which began around 8 a.m., with mutual aid teams from Contra Costa and Marin counties also assisting, as well as volunteers, according to KTVU. 

Amy Hillyard, 52, disappeared March 25 around 2 p.m. after she was seen walking along Radnor Road in Oakland’s Cleveland Heights neighborhood, according to authorities. Nearly a week later, her whereabouts remain unknown.

“The search to bring Amy home continues, and we remain hopeful,” family friend Sarah Wachs told Fox News Digital. “We’ve had hundreds of people come together to look for Amy.”

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Oakland police said Monday that Hillyard’s family had asked for another search, SFGate reported.

Authorities have classified Hillyard as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition. Wachs told Fox News Digital that she is dealing with a health condition that may leave her disoriented and in need of help, but declined to share further details to protect her privacy.

According to Wachs, search efforts now include Oakland police, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and neighboring search-and-rescue teams. Volunteers have been combing hiking trails, canvassing neighborhoods and checking in with local businesses in hopes of finding any trace of Hillyard.

The family is now urging residents, particularly in Cleveland Heights, Lake Merritt, the Lakeshore District and Crocker Highlands, to check home surveillance systems for possible sightings beginning the afternoon she vanished.

Hillyard is described as 5-foot-4, about 120 pounds, with blonde hair. Police recently clarified she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, light blue jeans and white sneakers with a black stripe, updating an earlier description of different clothing.

Authorities have classified her as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition and issued an endangered missing alert Sunday evening, sending notifications to mobile phones across the East Bay days after her disappearance. A neighbor told KTVU that Hillyard left without her cellphone and has not been heard from since.

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As concern grows, missing-person flyers have spread throughout Oakland and San Francisco, appearing near Jack London Square, along Grand Avenue and at the Powell Street BART station, SFGate reported. Posters have also been displayed at Farley’s East coffee shop, the East Bay café Hillyard co-owns with her husband.

Despite the expanding search, her husband said the family is still searching for answers.

“Missing since 2 p.m. Wednesday. That’s all we know,” Chris Hillyard said in a message to SFGate.

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The case has resonated deeply in the community, where friends describe Hillyard as a connector and leader.

“She’s the kind of person that collects people, brings people together,” friend Serena Khaira said at a vigil Sunday, according to KTVU. “When you have a problem, she’s generally the first person you reach out to.”

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In addition to co-running Farley’s Coffee, Hillyard operates a consulting practice and has advised leaders at major organizations including Apple, Gap, Electronic Arts and the Marine Mammal Center, according to her website. She has also been deeply involved in nonprofit and community work, serving on boards and leading pro bono efforts.

Hillyard currently serves as board president of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. In a statement to KTVU, the organization said her disappearance has shaken the community. 

“This is incredibly difficult news for our close community. Amy is such an important part of our organization, and our hearts are with her and her loved ones as we hope for her safe return,” the group said.

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Farley’s Coffee itself is a deeply rooted family business with a long Bay Area history. Founded in 1989 by Roger Hillyard in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, the café was named after his grandfather, Jack Farley, who disappeared in the 1920s. 

The business was later passed to Roger’s son, Chris, and Amy, who helped expand it into the East Bay and local airports. The company describes itself as a community hub built on connection, tradition and shared space—values that many say Hillyard embodied.

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In a statement, the business said, “Our hearts go out to Amy and her family and friends during this difficult time. She has been a passionate and active member of the Oakland community for 20+ years. We hope that she returns safely, and we appreciate any information.”

Hundreds of people gathered near Lake Merritt over the weekend for a candlelight vigil, underscoring the growing urgency and widespread concern surrounding her disappearance.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department. The family is also asking those with possible video or tips to come forward as the search intensifies.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Oakland Police Department for updates on the search, but did not immediately receive a response.