On February 19th, Springfield Police officers responded to the 1100 block of E. Spruce Street for a report of an armed robbery to a person. The victim had gone to a residence to sell a computer after arranging the transaction on Facebook Marketplace. When the victim arrived, he was approached by multiple juvenile male subjects. The male subjects robbed him at gunpoint, taking the computer.
The victim was able to provide police information that led them to a specific residence. Four male juveniles located at the residence were detained and positively identified. A search warrant was obtained for the residence, and two BB guns were recovered. The juveniles between the ages of 14-16 were arrested and screened through the Juvenile Detention Center.
Following the incident, the Springfield Police Department is reminding those utilizing Facebook Marketplace or other online sites to purchase items to use caution. If you are going to meet someone to buy or sell an item, make sure it is at an e-commerce location (Springfield Police Department lobby) or a public place. Officials say always be aware of your surroundings; if the buyer or seller doesn’t meet you in a public place, that should be an indication that something is not right.