CHICAGO (CBS) — Nearly 20 individuals who thought they had been shopping for an ATV or motorcycle had been as a substitute robbed at gunpoint.
The incidents all occurred inside just a few blocks of one another and all of the victims had been lured there on websites like Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp.
CBS 2’s Lauren Victory has particulars on the social media muggings with the newest incident occurring lower than a 3 minute drive from right here on Sunday.
Police mentioned they have been seeing the identical factor occur again and again in the identical space since July.
The tree colours may be altering however the M.O. will not be. Nineteen folks have been robbed close to Ogden Park alongside a stretch of Marquette Road.
All of them pondering they’re about to purchase a bike or ATV after discovering the 2 or four-wheelers on the market on social media websites. CBS 2 discovered a number of listings on Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. Most if not all of those are legit.
But no matter footage or costs lured consumers to West Englewood weren’t.
Four occasions in July, twice in August, 9 occasions in September and to date, 4 occasions in October. ATV or motorcycle, thrill seekers had been met by muggers carrying ski masks close to the park.
The robber would pull a handgun, demand victims’ belongings then run away. Facebook’s dad or mum firm Meta is acquainted with this tactic. Facebook Marketplace gives suggestions for meet-ups. Among them: do not carry giant quantities of money. It mentioned it gives info on its transactions, together with:
- Law enforcement who search data can contact us by way of our Safety Center (see “Law Enforcement Online Request System”). We reply to legitimate authorized requests and will additionally share info with regulation enforcement (in keeping with our phrases) and regulators in circumstances the place it might stop fraud or different forms of unlawful exercise.
- We additionally publish common reviews to provide folks visibility into how we reply to official knowledge requests, which will be present in our transparency center.
OfferUp mentioned it gives group meet-up spots in its app. The firm additionally factors consumers and sellers to Safe Trade Spots.com that locates locations the place surveillance cameras will seize your transaction. OfferUp offered this info concerning what folks can search for:
- We embrace a ranking possibility on the finish of every transaction
- We have established almost 2,000 Community MeetUp Spots at retail shops and police departments throughout the nation
- We have a devoted investigations group that assists regulation enforcement and there is A.I. constructed into the app that helps us determine dangerous exercise and gadgets that do not match inside our market pointers
When you search 6700 S. Elizabeth (the place majority of robberies are occurring) within the Safe Trade Spots database to search out an official protected commerce spot close by, the outcomes that come up closest are outdoors Chicago metropolis limits
CBS 2 requested the officers on the seventh District if web purchases can occur there. A sergeant mentioned CPD does not have designated parking spots for web transactions, however mentioned officers do not thoughts if folks shopping for or promoting meet up out entrance.
