Man Selling Car Online Robbed, Assaulted After Meeting 'Buyers'

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – A person was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint Friday morning at his home in Lafayette during a meeting with two other people who expressed interest in buying his car, police said.

The victim had listed his car for sale online and the suspects met the victim at his home on the 3400 block of Moraga Boulevard where they robbed him and struck him on the head with a gun, according to the Lafayette Police Department.

Initially, when the "prospective buyer" and his companion arrived in the neighborhood, they claimed they could not find the home and all agreed to meet at a local business, officials said. The three then returned to the resident's home where the seller and one of the "buyers" went into the garage, according to the agency.

Once inside the garage, the "buyer" pulled out a firearm, demanded the resident get on the ground and then demanded his personal property. The seller complied, handing over his watch, phone and a necklace, police said.

One suspect then struck the man in the head with the weapon, and the pair returned to their vehicle and fled the area.

Responders arriving to the scene at about 10:25 a.m. transported the victim to a hospital for treatment of the head injury, according to police.

Lafayette police canvassed the area but were unable to locate the suspects, who were described as two black men, 28 to 35 years old, both wearing white shirts and jeans. They may have left the home in a white, four-door Volkswagen Passat.

Investigators ask anyone with information, or nearby residents and neighbors with security cameras who locate images of the suspects or their vehicle, to contact the Lafayette police dispatch center at (925) 284-5010.

The Lafayette PD issued the following reminders for staying safe when conducting online-sales transactions:

"Without a doubt, online sales are an unknown. When someone calls about an online ad, there is no way to determine what their true intentions are. The risks are the same whether you are buying or selling something online. There are a number of things you can do to make the transaction just a little safer for both parties.

• "When meeting a buyer or seller, always meet in a public place and always bring a friend. It's difficult for crooks to ply their trade in a public place. It's even more difficult when you are with another person, who is not emotionally involved in the transaction. When in doubt, meet in the parking lot of the police station or one of our local grocery stores. It's likely under video surveillance and there is a lot of traffic in the area. We have had a number of crimes occurring at remote freeway off-ramps - not a good idea.

• "Never bring a stranger to your home or go to theirs. It just complicates things when someone knows where you live. Washer stopped working after you bought it, bring it back and complain. Eliminate the possibility by doing the transaction in a neutral place.

• "Always remove geotag data from pictures that you post for your sale. A photo taken with your smartphone may list the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken. If you take a photo in front of your home and post it to a classified ad site, you are giving everyone your address.

• "Be anonymous. Always use the email account offered by the sale site, not your private email address. It keeps people from learning too much about you. Always post you cell phone number to an ad site and not your home phone number. Posting your home telephone number may allow the crook to find your address.

• "Trust your instincts. If the sales price or the offer are too good to be true, they likely are. If you don't like how things are looking, walk or drive away. The sale is not worth getting injured over.

• " Always take your cell phone with you. That helps to make sure that friends and family can call you if they need to check in on you. You have no clue as to whom you are meeting to buy or sell your item.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Shutterstock image