NORTH LITTLE ROCK (KTHV) - There's apparently a Craigslist robber on the prowl in North Little Rock.
Police said two cases have happened just this month where Craigslist buyers hoping to get a car got robbed instead, and they lost their money and then some.
North Little Rock Police have not arrested anyone yet but feel there is a good chance they're dealing with same suspects for the two cases this month. Both of them happened in the Rose City neighborhood of North Little Rock along Graham Avenue, and they sent the victims to the same house for an alleged transaction.
This Rose City neighborhood was "chirping" Friday evening, but it's not just birds making all the noise here lately.
"There was a gun pulled inside the car, and we were told to 'Don't move' and give them everything that we had," Armando Martinez said.
Armando Martinez from Stillwell, Ok. said he and his wife came to a home along the 1200 block of Graham Avenue two days ago to pick up a used Mercedes from a Craigslist ad when the alleged sellers turned into robbers.
"They took $3,400 in cash, both our cell phones, and they tried to reach for the keys in my ignition but couldn't get them out," Martinez said.
It was a violent exchange that police said happened to some other people at the same spot almost two weeks before. Neighbors THV 11 News talked to Friday said nobody lives there right now and hasn't for at least six months.
"Basically pulled up to what appears to be a set-up," Sgt. Brian Dedrick said.
Sgt. Brian Dedrick, with North Little Rock Police, said meeting at a home is the last place you want to go with these kinds of transactions.
"You just don't know what you're going into. You need to approach these sellers with caution because they're strangers," Sgt. Dedrick said.
He said do it in a public, well-lit place and bring someone with you. Never go alone.
"We really don't even recommend you bring cash," Sgt. Dedrick said.
Martinez said looking back, he should have followed all that advice.
"Shook up pretty good, hard to sleep right now, certain things going through your head.
It's not something that I wish upon anybody to happen to," Martinez said.
In the other case from Feb. 9, police reports indicated that the victims arrived at the home, and a man approached them, saying the seller was on the way with the car. Then that man allegedly pulled out a gun, told the victims to get out of their car and walked away with $3,000 in cash and their cell phones.
Sgt. Dedrick said police have requested information about these alleged sellers from Craigslist but are still waiting to hear back. He also said the department has beefed up patrol in the area where these robberies happened.
