Bogus Craigslist Sellers Rob Would-be Customers in Southwest Philly

Police are seeking two men who posted bogus Craigslist ads and used them to rob two would-be buyers in Southwest Philadelphia Sunday night.

In the first incident, a Sharon Hill man hoping to buy an iPad arranged to meet the Craigslist sellers around 10:20 p.m. at the Penrose Plaza on the 3000 block of Island Avenue.

Instead, he was met by two armed assailants who robbed him of nearly $300.

Less than 20 minutes later and two miles away, a King of Prussia man was waiting at 67th and Yocum streets to buy an iPad from a Craiglist seller when he was approached by two armed men fitting a similar description.

They took his cell phone, stole $275 and escaped in the victim’s Toyota Corolla.

No injuries were reported in either robbery.

The
suspects are described as a light-skinned five-foot-eight black man with short hair and a dark-skinned five-foot-eight black man with dreadlocks. Both appear to be in their 20s.

The incidents are the second rash of Craigslist-related robberies this month.

At least three men robbed Rolex watch sellers at gunpoint between August 11 and August 17 after arranging through the website to meet at isolated North Philadelphia locales.

Police continue to investigate but urge people to exercise caution when making Craigslist transactions.