CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
A Facebook transaction on March 10 went bad when a woman trying to sell Nike tennis shoes over the social network ended up getting robbed and punched in the face.
The victim told police she agreed to meet a potential buyer at the HEB parking lot on Kostoryz. A man arrived accompanied by two women in a gray minivan.
The man did not exit the van, but did inspect the shoes. He then grabbed the shoes and tried to drive off without paying for them.
The victim tried to hold on to the shoes, but the man began punching her in the face.
Later, police were able to find the van and the stolen pair of tennis shoes were recovered and returned to the victim.
Diana Rodriguez Botello and Alexandria Coughran were both arrested and charged with interference with public duties associated with the crime.
The Corpus Christi Police Department said Facebook has become another outlet, other than Craigslist, to sell stuff you want to get rid of; but the department said that you should use extreme caution.
These tips should help when setting up a deal online:
- Do not post personal information on your ad or post. Investigators say a home or cell phone number can be used in reverse lookup, and it could show a billing or home address with your information.
- Communicate with the buyer through e-mail. You should do this in order to feel out the intentions of the buyer, and this gives you time to notice anything suspicious.
- Bring a friend and meet in a public place during daylight hours.
- Never set up a transaction at your home. You should never invite a stranger to your residence.
- Always ask for ID or a driver's licence info in case there is a problem with the transaction.
