PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Police are issuing a warning after a teenager was robbed while trying to sell clothes.
The transaction reportedly started with an agreement made on a social media app, but went wrong.
What we know:
Prince William County police say a 16-year-old boy was just trying to sell some clothes in his neighborhood when things took a turn.
Just before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, police say the teenager met up with a group of people on Skystone Loop to finalize a sale that started on Instagram.
The transaction was taking place near Signal Hill Park when one of the guys in the group reportedly pulled out a gun. Another person grabbed the items from the 16-year-old victim before they all got in a car and left the scene.
Investigators say the teenager was not injured and all three suspects — two males and one female — are in their mid-to late teens.
What they’re saying:
Lt. Johnathan Perok has a message to parents and anyone who has plans to meet up with random people to complete online transactions especially as we head into the holidays.
“One, I would never encourage a juvenile to conduct a transaction like this. It’s always better that an adult is present,” Perok said. “It’s just not a safe practice, especially these juveniles dealing with people they don’t know. You never know who is going to show up.”
Now, a safe area where people can make these online transactions is at the police department.
There are designated parking spaces to ensure police know an exchange is happening — just pull up, park, exchange the items and leave.
Police say if you’re not comfortable doing it outside, do it in the lobby of the station, and if you don’t live close to a police department, do it in a public, well-lit area for peace of mind and security.
What’s next:
Police say they do have leads on the suspects, but anyone with information on this armed robbery is asked to call them.
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