Police: Woman Fakes Kidnapping Complaint

A Naugatuck woman is accused of falsely reporting that she had been kidnapped at gunpoint in Waterbury on New Year's Day.

Police say Cheri Zekiri, 35, of 37 School St., told police someone brandishing a handgun entered her car and told her to drive away. She said she was able to escape, and that the man drove off with her vehicle, a 2001 Ford Focus owned by her boyfriend.

Zekiri told that account to police at 12:49 p.m. on Tuesday when she called them from 1599 South Main St. in Waterbury, police said. She also told her boyfriend that she was being held hostage in Waterbury in lieu of $500, police said.

However, Zekiri later admitted to police that she fabricated the entire story, police said. 

"At this point in the investigation, it appears that Zekiri sold the vehicle for money to buy drugs, and she fabricated this complaint as an excuse to why she no longer had the vehicle," said Waterbury Police Capt. Chris Corbett.

The vehicle, which was not stolen, has been located, Corbett said.

Zekiri has been charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident. She has previous convictions for larceny, forgery and prostitution.