NJ thief used Facebook Marketplace to lure victims with Playstation 5s — and hit one with his car: cops
A Ne꧂w Jersey man was arrested for robbing Facebook Marketplace buyers who responded to his ads for video game consoles after he allegedly hit one of the victims with his car, auth🦩orities said.
Yassine G. Rahi, 18, of Bayonne, was charged with a litany of crimes for the March 20 hit-and-run, which left an unidentified 22-year-old with “serious bodily injury,” according to a statem𒉰ent from Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
The young con man met the victim at a pre-arranged meetup spot in the small town of Moonachie at about 5 p.m. that day, ꦛthe statement said.
But instead of handing over the PlayStation 5 he advertised on Facebook, Rahi allegedly took about $275 from the victim and sped off, hitting the haple🥂ss buyer in the process.
When the prosecutor’s office investigated, they found a string of similar incidents in northern New Jersey in which a fake seller using fictitious Facebook accounts would lure PlayStation buyers to a specific area, then steal their cash, according to Musella.
County investigators identified Rahi as their all🐈eged thief, the statement said.
They also linked him to a similar rip-and🍎-run in the New Jersey town of Guttenberg on March 26,
Local and county authorities finally collared Rahi in Bayonne on April 4, the prosecutor’s office said.
Rahi has been charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree l💛eaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily i💯njury, fourth-degree theft and other offenses, Musella said.
He was sent💛 to Bergen County Jail, where he is waiting for a detention hearing꧒.
Musella, Bergen County’s top law enforcement official, said in the statement that the alleged robberies were a reminder that people should be exceedingly cautious when buying or selling goods online.
“While various online platforms offer a convenient way to buy and sell property, they also p🧔resent opportunities for exploitation by dishonest individuals,” he said, adding that people should meet in safe exchange spots, such as their local police department.
“Alw𒊎ays meet in public, well-lit areas, and nev🐭er meet a stranger alone,” Musella said.
“Trust your insti🌠ncts – if something ൩feels off or too good to be true, it likely is.”
