A San Francisco trading-card sale arranged online turned into a robbery when the supposed buyer pretended to pay, pepper-sprayed the seller, and ran off with the collection, police said.
The robbery happened May 28 at about 3:16 p.m. near Holyoke and Felton streets, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Police said the victim had arranged to meet someone he met online to sell a collection of trading cards.
During the meeting, the suspect looked over the collection and pretended to pay before using pepper spray and fleeing toward a waiting vehicle, according to SFPD. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was medically assessed at the scene.
Two juvenile male suspects were arrested the next day and booked into the Juvenile Justice Center on robbery and conspiracy allegations. The case remains open and active, police said.
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The Sale Was Arranged Online
SFPD said the victim went to the area near Holyoke and Felton streets after arranging to meet an online buyer for the trading-card collection. The meeting happened inside a park, where the suspect approached the seller and examined the cards.
The sale changed when the suspect allegedly pretended to pay, used pepper spray, and ran away with the collection. Police said the suspect fled toward a waiting vehicle occupied by two additional suspects.
Police Tracked the Vehicle the Next Day
The next day, officers assigned to SFPD’s Real Time Investigation Center used FLOCK and alerted citywide plainclothes officers after the suspect vehicle was located near Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street.
Officers assigned to Drone First Responders watched the vehicle and saw the occupants exit near O’Farrell and Polk streets, according to SFPD. Plainclothes officers kept surveillance, identified the occupants as robbery suspects, and took them into custody.
Two Juveniles Were Booked
SFPD said officers developed probable cause to arrest two juvenile male suspects. The juveniles were booked into the Juvenile Justice Center for second-degree robbery and conspiracy.
Officers searched the vehicle and found possible evidence connected to the robbery, which was seized. The vehicle was also towed from the scene.
Investigators Later Searched a Residence
On May 30, robbery investigators and citywide plainclothes officers served a search warrant at a suspect’s residence. SFPD said additional evidence connected to the robbery was found inside and seized.
Police did not say in the release whether the full trading-card collection was recovered. Anyone with information can contact SFPD at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, beginning the message with SFPD.