ST. ANN, Mo. – A seemingly routine Facebook Marketplace exchange quickly escalated into a robbery, a crash, and the arrest of two juveniles earlier this week in St. Ann.
The two juveniles, 15 and 17 years old, have been charged with robbery and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with their arrests.
According to the St. Ann Neighborhood Watch, a community group that works with the St. Ann Police Department to share information with the public, the arranged exchange escalated Monday evening in the 4000 block of Geraldine Avenue.
Investigators say two juveniles robbed the seller of shoes and a cell phone before taking off in a vehicle. The seller tried to chase the juveniles in his vehicle, but crashed into a utility pole. Investigators say the victim did not suffer serious injuries.
After that, the St. Ann Detective Bureau used a license plate reader to track down the accused juveniles. They allegedly tossed a loaded gun away from their possession before they were detained.
Authorities say, in wake of this incident, people should consider completing Facebook Marketplace exchanges at police departments or areas that are well-lit and have security cameras.