Two teenage suspects from Houston are on the run after allegedly orchestrating a Facebook Marketplace scam and then robbing victims, police said.
Arlando Lyles, 17, is wanted for aggravated assault robbery with a deadly weapon and theft from a person, and Christian Ray Pickett, 18, is wanted for theft from a person. According to the Houston Police Department (HPD), additional charges are pending.
Lyles and Pickett are at least two suspects wanted in a series of incidents stemming from Facebook Marketplace in which suspects pose as sellers with fake profiles, meet buyers in person and then rob the buyers, HPD’s Robbery Division said in a news release.
HPD officers believe there may be more suspects involved posing as fake sellers on Facebook Marketplace. Investigators say the robberies have occurred at 15 locations since September 21 involving 15 different victims.
HOW TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF THIS SNEAKY FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE SCAM
Christian Ray Pickett, 18, and Arlando Lyles, 17, are wanted for their roles in a series of alleged Facebook Marketplace robberies. (Houston police)
Facebook Marketplace is a subsection of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users.
Although the social media selling platform offers some protections for buyers, it is rife with scammers who use fake profile pictures and names to pretend to be different people online. For example, a scammer might use a fake profile photo showing an older couple or young family in an attempt to appear like a realistic seller.
HIDDEN CARRY HOLDER IN ILLINOIS TURNS THE TABLES ON WHICH FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE ROBBER
HPD says the 15 robberies since September occurred in “several apartment complex parking lots in Southeast Houston.”
Lyles allegedly pointed a gun at the mother of a family of five who were traveling together in their car to a meeting location while the woman’s 15-year-old son was just a few feet away. The father and their two other children, ages 8 and 10, took cover in the car ABC-13.
Houston police say the 15 robberies since September occurred in “several apartment complex parking lots in Southeast Houston.” (Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
They planned to buy a PlayStation 5 from Lyles, with whom the 15-year-old mother had chatted extensively on Facebook Marketplace before they met, mostly in Spanish. However, when they arrived at the meeting location and Lyles did not speak Spanish, the 15-year-old felt like something was wrong, according to ABC 13.
THE DARKER WORLD OF FACEBOOK ADS WHERE SCAMMERS TRY TO STEAL YOUR MONEY
“It’s cash, ma’am. I’ve had a lot of bad experiences recently, nothing towards you,” Lyles reportedly said in a message before meeting at a parking lot he reportedly proposed to.
The 15-year-old and his mother got out of their car to complete the transaction when things went wrong. Lyles allegedly demanded to see the $250 in cash they brought to purchase the PlayStation before handing it over.
Scammers use the Facebook marketplace to steal your information. (CyberGuy.com)
“I got (out) of the car, then my mother got out of the car and when I was about to open it, he put his hand in his pocket, pulled out (a gun) and then pointed it at mother, as if he wanted to give him the opportunity to make money, and then he also started working on the PS5,” the 15-year-old told ABC 13.
“Once the buyer arrives at the location, the suspects rob the victim by pointing a firearm at them and then taking their money,” police said. HPD Robbery Division said in a press release.
WOMAN IN US ILLEGALLY DUMPS NEWBORN INTO HOUSTON DUMPSTER, CLAIMS SHE HAD ‘NO CHOICE’
Their whereabouts were unknown Wednesday morning and police are still asking the public for help in finding the two wanted teens. They are asking anyone who may have seen Lyles or Pickett to contact police.
In a video that PSA posted to HPD’s
Facebook Marketplace is a subsection of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users. (Nic Coury/AFP)
“Look for things like profile pictures and account activity as good signs,” Lee said. “Many of these accounts we see are blank accounts that are only used a few times.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The suspects often offer deals that are “too good to be true” and dictate the meeting place to connect with buyers, Lee said.
Police are asking anyone with information about these robberies to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston directly at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting an online tip at www.crime-stoppers.org. Information leading to an arrest could result in a cash payment of up to $5,000.
