Man robbed at gunpoint during Facebook Marketplace meetup

According to The Lee County Sherriff’s Office, a man was robbed at gunpoint while trying to buy an Apple Watch from Facebook Marketplace.

The alleged robbery took place at a Publix parking lot on Corkscrew Road last week.

Lee County deputies said the victim met the suspect, 25-year-old Stephen McConnell, on Facebook Marketplace.

The report states that the buyer noticed the watch was fake and asked for his money back. That’s when McConnell allegedly showed the gun in his waistband saying, “Don’t make this hard on yourself,” and then told the victim to Zelle him another $500.

By the end of the meetup, the victim was left without a watch.

Facebook Marketplace is full of deals, but unlike shopping at the store, you have to scope out the deals to see if they are legit.

“There’s a lot of scammers out there, so you have to learn how to differentiate who’s serious and who’s not,” said Luis Lopez, a customer at Publix.

David Thomas, Professor of Forensic Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University had some insight to share on the con.

“The internet provides a haven for predators, and especially now that we’re talking about selling stuff, you have no idea who you’re meeting and what that deal is,” said Thomas. “Especially when the suspect knows you’re coming with a set amount of dollars, 500 bucks, and so that means that he’s the predator and you’re the prey.”

McConnell drove off that night and was arrested days later.

Lesson learned. If you’re thinking about shopping on Facebook Marketplace, be prepared.

“We live in times where people need to be constantly aware. Their head needs to be on a swivel,” said Thomas.

Customer Ailie Lahti had advice for those looking to make purchases through Facebook.

“Check out who it is,” said Lahti. “If they have a brand new Facebook profile, it’s probably not a real person or probably a dangerous person. Check out their pictures. It’s kind of stalker-ish, but definitely do some research on the person before you buy it.”

Lopez urged others to be safe when meeting up with strangers and to not go alone. 

“That’s a message: Don’t come by yourself. Even in the nicest areas that you can be around all the time, anything can happen,” said Lopez.

An expert stated that parking lots may not be as safe as you think.

A safer spot for a meetup would be the police station or sheriff’s office.

That way you know help is nearby, and you have eyes on you and the others you’re meeting with.