Jacob Najjar: TikTok star kidnapped and beaten, shared video of him happily working at his Thirsty Monkey cafe days earlier
A TikTok star who was kidnapped and stabbed before being dumped on the side of the road shared a video of him happily working in his cafe days earlier.
Jacob Najjar, the owner of popular eatery Thirsty Monkey, was dragged from his unit on Grazier Street in Lidcombe, in Sydney’s west, around midnight last Saturday.
After Mr Najjar was kidnapped, the 36-year-old was taken to a location at an unknown address where he was allegedly beaten and stabbed.
He was held for 24 hours before being dumped on Lower Washington Drive in Bonnet Bay, in Sydney’s south, on Sunday evening, about 30 kilometers from where he was abducted.
Mr Najjar had appeared in a TikTok video uploaded to his company’s social media page on October 28 – a week before he was kidnapped.
The kidnapping took place almost a year after Mr Najjar welcomed his newborn son into the family.
Days before he was kidnapped, Jacob Najjar (pictured) was seen in a video posted to the Thirsty Monkey TikTok page, in which the cafe owner made a pistachio spread
The video showed a smiling Mr Najjar making a pistachio paste.
Mr. Najjar is dressed in a black shirt and black sweatpants with his back turned to the camera as he stands over a large black electric mixer.
“I couldn’t get any more pistachios because my supplier couldn’t meet my demand,” he said.
‘So I became my own supplier.’
The video then transitions to the mixer stirring large amounts of pasta.
“Look,” said a beaming Mr. Najjar. ‘We now make our own pistachio.’
A moment later you see him pour the silky mixture into a small container.
“Look how smoothly that goes now,” he said. “Maybe even change careers… start making spreads.”
He then joked, “Remember one thing: If there’s no baby monkey, it’s not a thirsty monkey.”
Mr Najjar (pictured) is the owner of the popular eatery Thirsty Monkey and has a large social media following
The business owner recently became a father and took to Instagram to announce the birth of his son (photo)
The video appeared to be shot in a warehouse with cardboard boxes and wooden pallets stacked against the wall.
A motorcycle could be seen parked behind Mr Najjar as he poured the pistachio paste into the container.
Mr Najjar has opened cafes in Parramatta, Wentworth Point and Marrickville, with his business being a hit with locals.
His business TikTok page has more than 20,000 followers, while his personal Instagram account has more than 37,000.
Shocked locals found Mr Najjar with facial injuries and stab wounds on a quiet suburban street on the night he was dumped by his attackers.
Locals who found him called triple-0 and paramedics treated him at the scene before rushing him to Sutherland Hospital.
Mr Najjar told police he had been knocked unconscious and had no memory of how the attack occurred or how his captors appeared. Daily telegram reported.
NSW Police have released a statement saying an investigation into the matter has been launched.
Mr Najjar was found with stab wounds lying in a street in Sydney’s south last Sunday before locals who found the 36-year-old man called ambulances to the scene.
The motive behind the kidnapping is unknown. No arrests or charges have been filed yet.
Mr Najjar was kidnapped almost a year after he announced the birth of his son.
He made a gushing Instagram post with a photo of his newborn baby.
“I will protect you forever,” he wrote.
He was once pictured with senior members of the Alameddine gang members.
Ny Breaking Australia suggests no wrongdoing by Mr Najjar.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Mr Najjar (bottom right) was previously pictured with Alameddine gang associates John-Ray Baysarri (top left), Murat Gulasi (top centre) and Masood Zakaria (top right)