‘Not John Wick’: Metro robbery victim issues warning after social media sale goes wrong
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An Oklahoma City man is warning others to be careful with online sales after he was robbed and threatened.
Irvin Hinojosa told News 4 he placed an iPhone for sale on Facebook marketplace earlier this month and was eventually contacted by an interested buyer.
“I sell stuff all the time on Facebook marketplace,” said Hinojosa.
Hinojosa says he agreed to meet with the buyer at a southeast metro apartment complex. When he got there, he says the interaction started off semi-normal.
“He was like handling the phone and making sure that it turned on, you know, asking me questions,” said Hinojosa.
Hinojosa says, after verifying the phone worked and unlocked, suspect Krishna Skanes told him he was taking the device. He says suspect Lamar Mayberry, who was the original buyer he agreed to meet, watched the ordeal play out with a smile on his face.
“He just looks at me and goes, oh, I’m taking the phone,” said Hinojosa. “Before I can even, like ask a follow up, he’s walking away, and as he does he pulls up his shirt.”
Hinojosa says Skanes flashed a gun at him, and he took it as a hint not to follow.
“I’m not John Wick, so I just decide to hang back and I kind of watch where they’re going,” said Hinojosa.
After he felt safe, Hinojosa called Oklahoma City police.
“No money was exchanged and [the suspects] ultimately robbed the victim of his property before fleeing the area there,” said Sergeant Dillon Quirk, with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Quirk says it’s becoming more and more common for people to sell things online.
“It seems like it’s getting more and more popular, but there are safe ways you can still go about it.”
Quirk recommended those planning a sale should meet up in a well-lit public place that has cameras. Some examples include gas stations and even local police departments. Quirk says you should never agree to meet in a place you don’t feel safe and secure.
Hinojosa says, after such a traumatic experience he doesn’t plan on handling selling his property the same way again.
“The police told me afterwards, just be more careful about where you meet people for these sorts of things.”
Both Skanes and Mayberry are facing felony robbery charges.
Hinojosa was also instrumental in helping police track Mayberry down. He says he was able to find a reference to Mayberry through the profile he used to arrange the meet up location for the sale. Hinojosa says a relative mentioned Mayberry in a post, and he was able to share that information with police.