Craigslist iPhone Ad Leads to Robbery, Shooting
Be careful when you buy or sell things on Craigslist. A California couple got shot when they tried to sell an iPhone over the popular online classified website.
The man and woman reportedly met the would-be iPhone buyer at a McDonald's parking lot in San Diego to conduct the transaction Monday night.
The couple was seated in their BMW and let the prospective buyer into the car. The man then pulled out a gun and demanded their iPhone and their cash, NBC News reports. A struggle ensued.
Inside the vehicle, the man and the woman apparently did not hand over the items easily and during the tussle, the gun went off. Both the man and the woman were shot, though neither suffered life-threatening injuries, according to NBC News. They were able to drive themselves to the hospital.
The suspect got away and police are now looking for the man. The couple should count themselves lucky that they did not suffer serious injuries.
This was the second Craigslist-related robbery and shooting in San Diego in a little more than a year. In the prior incident, the would-be buyer of a laptop showed up at the designated location to complete the transaction. Instead of meeting a willing seller, the buyer was met by three teen robbers.
The teens robbed the buyer of the $600 he'd brought to purchase the computer. Similar to the young couple selling the iPhone, the buyer did not go down without a fight and gave chase in his car. Unfortunately, the three teens shot and killed him as he gave chase. The teens in that case were all convicted of first-degree murder, according to NBC News.
For all the utility of Craigslist, it is also a breeding ground of crime. Use common sense when conducting transactions on the website and try to meet in a public place.
Related Resources:
- Couple Shot in Craigslist iPhone Sale Gone Wrong (LAist)
- Ohio Craigslist Killings Linked to Boy, 16 (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Hot New Crime Trend: Truck Tailgate Theft (FindLaw's Blotter)