A Greenville man is accused of using Facebook Marketplace messages to set up jewelry meetups with sellers who thought they had found a buyer.
Elijah McLean, 21, was arrested Tuesday after police connected him to three separate meetups involving people selling jewelry online, according to WITN.
Police said McLean contacted Marketplace users, arranged to meet them in person, and presented himself as someone planning to buy their items.
McLean was charged with three counts of larceny, two counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, and two counts of attempting to obtain property under false pretenses. The charges are accusations and have not been proven in court.
The Case Started With Marketplace Jewelry Listings
WITN reported that Greenville police arrested McLean after three theft reports tied to Facebook Marketplace sales. The victims were using the platform to sell jewelry, and police said McLean contacted them through Marketplace before arranging the in-person meetings.
According to police, McLean met with Marketplace users on three separate occasions and said he planned to buy jewelry from them. Once the meetup happened, police said he either walked away with the jewelry after getting it in his hand or distracted the victim and took the items.
The Charges Include Larceny and False Pretenses
WCTI/News 12 reported that the larceny charges were listed as felony counts. McLean was being held in the Pitt County Detention Center after the arrest.
Police said McLean remained in jail on a $45,000 secured bond. The case currently stands as an arrest and pending charges.
Jewelry Sellers Should Control the Handoff
For people selling jewelry, watches, phones, sneakers, collectibles, or other valuable items online, the handoff is the risky moment. A buyer should not be able to walk away with the item, try it on outside, or hold it while looking for money.
Cash should be counted and checked before the item changes hands. If the buyer wants to inspect the jewelry, the seller can keep control of it, meet inside a monitored location, or use a jeweler, bank lobby, or police exchange zone instead of an isolated parking lot or private address.
Greenville Police Listed Three Exchange Zones
Greenville police said the department has three substations that serve as internet exchange zones for online sales. The areas are monitored by cameras and are available for Facebook Marketplace purchases and exchanges.
The listed exchange zones are the West Zone at 1024 W. Fifth St., the East Zone at 3195 Suite A, East 10th St., and the South Zone at 728 Southwest Greenville Blvd. in the Greenville Grande Shopping Center.
Sellers should save Marketplace messages, the buyer’s profile, phone numbers, payment records, item photos, serial numbers or appraisals, vehicle descriptions, license plates, and any surveillance or doorbell-camera footage. Anyone who believes they may be a victim in the Greenville case can contact the Greenville Police Department at 252-329-4315, according to WCTI/News 12.