Two juvenile suspects Out of Houston According to the police, he went on the run after performing Facebook Marketplace scams and then robbing the victims.
Orlando Lyles, 17, is wanted on aggravated assault Robbery with a deadly weapon and theft by a person, and Christian Ray Pickett, 18, is wanted for theft by a person. Additional charges are pending, according to the Houston Police Department (HPD).
Lyles and Pickett are at least two suspects in a series of incidents stemming from Facebook Marketplace in which the suspects posed as sellers with fake profiles, met with buyers in person and then robbed the buyers, HPD’s Robbery Division said in a press release.
HPD officials believe more suspects may be involved posing as fake sellers on Facebook Marketplace. Investigators say the robberies have occurred at 15 locations involving at least 15 different victims since Sept. 21.
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Christian Ray Pickett, 18, and Orlando Lyles, 17, are wanted for their roles in a series of alleged Facebook Marketplace robberies. (Houston PD)
Facebook Marketplace is a subset of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users.
Although the social media selling platform has some protections for buyers, it is also full of scammers who use fake profile pictures and names to pose as different people online. For example, a fraudster might use a fake profile picture showing an elderly couple or a young family in an attempt to look like a genuine seller.
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HPD says 15 robberies have occurred since September at “various apartment complex parking lots in southeast Houston.”
Lyles is accused of pulling a gun on the mother of five, who traveled together in their vehicle to the meeting place, while the woman’s 15-year-old son was just feet away. The father and his two other children, ages 8 and 10, duck for cover inside the vehicle, according to ABC 13.
The Houston Police Department said 15 robberies have occurred since September at “various apartment complex parking lots in southeast Houston.” (Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
He intended to buy a PlayStation 5 from Lyles, the 15-year-old’s mother spoke extensively on the Facebook marketplace before they met, mostly in Spanish. However, when they arrived at the meeting place and Lyles didn’t speak Spanish, the 15-year-old had a feeling something was wrong, according to ABC 13.
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“It’s cash on hand, ma’am. I’ve had a lot of bad experiences lately, nothing about you,” Lyles said in a text message before meeting in a parking lot he suggested.
The 15-year-old and his mother got out of their vehicle to complete the transaction when things went south. Lyles insisted on seeing the $250 he had brought in to buy the PlayStation before handing it over.
Fraudsters are using Facebook Marketplace to steal your information. (CyberGuy.com)
“I got out of the car, then my mom got out of the car and when I was about to open it, he put his hand in his pocket, pulled out (the gun), then pointed it at the mom, like to give her the money, and then he ran away with the PS5,” the 15-year-old told ABC 13. Told.
“Once the customer arrives at the location, the suspect points a gun at the victim and then takes their money and robs them,” HPD Robbery Division Said in a press release.
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Their whereabouts were unknown as of Wednesday morning, and police were still asking the public for help locating the two teenagers. They are asking anyone who saw Lyles or Pickett to contact police.
In a video PSA posted to HPD’s X account on Nov. 26, Robbery Detective C. Lee advises Facebook Marketplace sellers to visit local police departments to complete their transactions and “avoid victimization.”
Facebook Marketplace is a subset of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users. (Nick Cory/AFP)
“Look for things like profile pictures and account activity as good signs,” Lee said. “Many of these accounts we’re seeing are empty accounts that have only been used a few times.”
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Suspects often offer deals that are “too good to be true” and dictate a meeting place to connect with buyers, Lee said.
Police are asking anyone with information about these robberies to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston directly at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting a tip online at www.crime-stoppers.org. Information leading to an arrest can lead to a cash payment of up to $5,000.
