Police in West Orange New Jersey are investigating the recent robbery of a Pennsylvania man in a mall parking lot. The theft incident stemmed from a sale arranged over the Internet through Craigslist and ended with the victim being attacked and dragged through the parking lot.
According to law enforcement, the victim was selling jewelry and other items on Craigslist. After agreeing to sell jewelry to an online purchaser, the victim agreed to meet the buyer at the Essex Green Shopping Center in West Orange, NJ.
When the victim showed up to the West Orange shopping center, he met a man and a woman. The prospective buyers inspected the jewelry items, but they then reportedly refused to complete the transaction. The male suspect then grabbed the victim and dragged him on the pavement while the female suspect stole the jewelry. Both suspects then fled the scene.
The victim, a 42-year-old man who lives in Pennsylvania, sustained minor injuries as a result of the violent attack. He declined an offer of medical treatment from emergency medical responders.
West Orange NJ police have asked local residents who arrange sales on Craigslist to meet in a “safe exchange zone” during the day and with lots of witnesses in order to discourage an attack like the one that occurred in this case. These safe areas often include video cameras and provide local residents with a space in which to complete online sales. In fact, a West Orange Police Department directive states that parking lots and lobbies at the local police headquarters can be used as “a meeting place for in-person transactions to occur.”
For additional information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Man Dragged, Robbed in Craigslist Sale Gone Bad, Officials Say.”
