CHICAGO — It’s been happening for years, but, despite repeated warnings from Chicago police, it keeps happening. We’re talking about robberies that take place when innocent-minded victims show up to buy something they saw online. They think they’re getting a good deal but wind up losing cash and merchandise, sometimes at gunpoint.
Just a couple of days ago, CPD warned that two people were robbed last week when they showed up to complete online sales in the 6300 block of South Calmet. One victim was robbed around 7:50 p.m. on February 5, and the other around 5:14 p.m. on February 9.
Police said the victim and one offender met briefly at the location, but then up to six additional men arrived, at least one armed with a firearm, to relieve the victims of their money.
Recently, prosecutors have charged two men with ripping off victims in separate social media marketplace deals.
Lavell Chapman, 25, is charged with armed robbery, accused of taking a pair of Jordan 11 shoes from a man who showed up to sell the footwear in the 1300 block of South Troy. Prosecutors said Chapman was carrying a gun when cops arrested him last month.
Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Chapman detained pending trial, saying Chapman had been convicted of robbery twice before and even received a nine-year prison sentence in one of those cases.
The other man who’s been charged recently is Cedric Dupree, 57. We introduced you to Dupree a year ago after prosecutors said he offered his Cadillac for sale on Facebook and then robbed a 26-year-old woman who showed up to buy it for $1,500.
After getting her money, he jumped into the Cadillac and drove away, prosecutors alleged.
Now, prosecutors say he did the same thing to a 32-year-old man in May 2023. In that case, Dupree allegedly snatched $1,500 from the victim’s hand when he agreed to buy Dupree’s 2003 Volvo in the 7500 block of South Stony Island.
Judge Deidre Dyer released Dupree to await trial on the new case, in which he is charged with theft by deception.
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