Arrests made after armed robberies during Facebook Marketplace sales, warrants say

CHARLOTTE — A string of ambush-style, armed robberies outside a school in west Charlotte has police urging caution even after arrests have been made.

Search warrants obtained by Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz say three different people who were trying to sell shoes through Facebook Marketplace, were instead met by a group of teens who robbed them.

The robberies happened within a matter of days last November outside Renaissance West STEAM Academy off West Boulevard near Billy Graham Parkway.

Now, police are requesting information from Facebook and cell phone data as part of the active investigation.

Meetups were planned to sell shoes outside the kindergarten through eighth-grade school. Instead, warrants say that as the buyer looked at the shoes, a group of teens came from behind the school.

In the first instance, the buyer pulled out a gun, demanded the shoes, and then fled with the other teens.

“Something has to be done,” said Henrietta Sulton, a resident of the area for a decade. “It’s just a shame how these kids have gotten out of control.”

Four days after the first robbery, two nearly identical crimes happened on the same day.

It’s unclear if investigators think the three robberies are connected, but the search warrants say they shared similarities, including the sellers being approached by a group of teens before their shoes were stolen.

Another neighbor told Channel 9 the crimes don’t surprise her. She said kids are no longer disciplined like they were in her day.

“Excuse my French, but they tore your behind up,” the woman said.

Where to meet for online sales in Charlotte

As the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigation continues, crime and prevention officer Jonathan Frisk said there are safer places to make online sales.

Frisk recommended the exchange zones at QuikTrip stores across the Charlotte area or outside your local CMPD station.

“This is where we want people to park,” Frisk said, directing people to the red-painted parking spots outside the QuikTrip.

The spots are under surveillance cameras for added security and generally have more people around, Frisk said.

He cautioned against meeting people alone, in areas you aren’t familiar with or at night.

If you are the victim of a robbery, especially at gunpoint, Frisk said to give the person what they demand. Stuff can be replaced, but your life cannot, he said.

CLICK HERE for CMPD’s list of safe exchange zones.

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