Sudbury cellphone sale goes wrong

Greater Sudbury Police Service say it has charged a man and a woman with multiple offences following the investigation into an online ad selling a cellular phone.

Police said they were called to a robbery in the community of Lively on Friday.

The victim had listed a phone for sale on an online classified forum.

“Two parties attended the seller’s residence under the guise of purchasing the phone,” said police in a news release Saturday.

“The seller was attacked with bear spray and the suspects fled to a waiting vehicle with her phone.”

EMS attended the residence and treated the seller at the scene.

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Officers investigating the incident soon after discovered the phone appearing online for sale.

“Contact was made with the seller.”

Police said plain clothes officers arranged to meet the suspects at a predetermined location Saturday afternoon under the facade of purchasing the phone.

As a result, a 31-year-old female and a 34-year-old male were taken into custody without incident

“The victim’s phone was recovered,” police said.

Both accused are charged with robbery with a weapon, possession of stolen property, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, being unlawfully in a dwelling and administering a noxious thing.

The female is also charged with breaching a community supervision order.

Both are being held for a bail hearing.

“The names of the charged parties cannot be released as information has yet to be sworn before the courts,” said police.

None of the accusations has been proven in court.

Sudbury police have provided a set of guidelines to consider before buying or selling items online:

• Always meet in a public place preferably during daylight hours or in well-lit public venues and consider locations which have quality video surveillance.
• Where possible, bring another person with you.
• If you decide to purchase the item, use an e-transfer instead of carrying cash.
• Do not meet the person at your home if at all possible. If the person must come to your residence to view/retrieve the item, limit the access the prospective buyer has to only the area necessary to view the item and do not let them wander around your yard or house.
• Do not share unnecessary personal information with others.
• If the deal seems too good to be true – it probably is.