A reportedly stolen cellphone and the use of bear spray brought Greater Sudbury Police officers to Lively on Feb. 3.
GSPS reported that a community member had listed a cellular telephone for sale in an online classifieds forum.
Two parties attended the seller’s residence under the guise of purchasing the phone. The seller was attacked with bear spray and the suspects fled to a waiting vehicle with her phone. The seller was treated by paramedics at her residence.
Officers began an investigation and soon discovered the phone appearing online for sale. Contact was made with the seller.
On the afternoon of Feb. 4, plain clothes officers from the Break, Enter & Robbery Unit and Patrol Operations Division arranged to meet the sellers at a predetermined location under the guise of purchasing the phone.
The victim’s phone was recovered. A 31-year-old female and a 34-year-old male were taken into custody without incident.
They are being held for bail and both are charged with: robbery with a weapon; administering a noxious thing, being unlawfully in a dwelling, possession of dangerous weapons, possession of stolen property.
The female is also charged with breaching a community supervision order.
GSPS remind everyone to follow these guidelines when buying or selling items online:
- Always meet in a public place preferably during daylight hours or in well-lit public venues. Locations which have quality video surveillance should also be considered.
- Where possible, bring another person with you.
- If you decide to purchase the item, use an e-transfer instead of carrying cash.
- Do not meet the person at your home if at all possible. If the person must come to your residence to view/retrieve the item, limit the access the prospective buyer has to only the area necessary to view the item (i.e. don't let them wander around your yard or house).
- Do not share unnecessary personal information with others.
- And remember, if the deal seems too good to be true - it probably is.
