Oakland police issued a new warning this morning for people who use Craigslist.
According to the Associated Press, the Oakland Police Department says a Bay Area couple was robbed Tuesday after responding to a listing for a Mercedes-Benz. The two victims met the seller at the Lake Merritt BART Station just before noon.
They were driven to a nearby bank, police said, where they withdrew thousands of dollars to complete the transaction. A short time later, the seller picked up an accomplice where they headed for Interstate 580 for a test drive.
Police said they pulled over on an off ramp and held the couple by gunpoint. They took all of their valuables before letting them go. The couple was able to walk down to safety from the off ramp, and they were not injured. Police are offering a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.
Oakland police issued a similar warning in early August.
Investigators say buyers should insist on meeting in a public place of their choosing, and not where the seller wants to go, and never bring cash. Police also advise that transactions should be made with a cashier's check or money order where the funds will need to be negotiated at a bank.
