Facebook Marketplace iPhone sale ends in victim being sprayed with substance, robbed
Posted March 7, 2024 2:38 pm.
Durham Regional Police are on the hunt for a suspect after an iPhone sale arranged on Facebook Marketplace went awry when the prospective buyer sprayed the seller with a noxious substance and stole the phone.
Officers were called to the Sewell Crescent and Tampsett Avenue of Ajax on Tuesday, March 5 for reports of an injured male.
Investigators learned that the seller met an unknown person they had connected with on Facebook Marketplace, hoping to sell a cellphone.
“The victim had listed an iPhone for purchase on Facebook Marketplace and agreed to meet the suspect in a residential neighbourhood,” a police release outlined.
“As the suspect was inspecting the phone, he sprayed the victim with an unknown substance and fled the area on foot.”
The victim suffered minor injuries.
The suspect is described as a Black male, 20 to 25 years old. He stands around six foot two with short curly black hair and a slim build and was wearing a blue mask, black bomber jacket, black hoodie sweater, and black jogging pants.
Authorities have long stressed vigilance when arranging to meet strangers for online sales. They suggest meeting in a busy area where security cameras are present and having a second person in attendance.
