A 17-year-old, from San Tan Valley, has been arrested for robbing an online vendor at gunpoint, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) received a call on July 6, 2018,from a man who said he was the victim of a robbery. The victim was selling a pair of black Nike Air Force One Low shoes on the website of an online marketplace. The 17-year-old suspect answered the ad and requested to purchase the shoes for $250.00. The suspect even offered to pay the victim extra for gas. The suspect met the victim in front of a home located near the 41300 block of North Arbor Ave. in San Tan Valley. During the meetup, the suspect pulled out a gun, grabbing the shoes before taking off through the neighborhood.
During the course of the investigation, deputies identified the suspect. A search warrant was served at his home and deputies recovered the stolen shoes. On July 13, deputies arrested the 17-year-old suspect at that residence. He is facing charges of Armed Robbery and Possession of Stolen Property.
“We are thankful the victim was not hurt in this case. But this serves as a reminder that anytime you are buying or selling things, please keep safety in mind. In this case, the meetup location was a few minutes away from one of our substations,” said Sheriff Mark Lamb. “We recommend picking a location that is in a public area that is well-lit and has surveillance cameras. Businesses or a law enforcement building are great locations that will help keep everyone safe.”
The suspect is facing charges of Armed Robbery and Possession of Stolen Property.