Suspect Charged, Accomplice Released In Oakland County Craigslist Robbery
ORION TWP. (WWJ) - The main suspect involved in a Craigslist robbery has been arraigned in Oakland County.
Officials say 22-year-old Anthony Lamar Henderson was charged Friday in 52-3 District Court with uttering and publishing counterfeit bank bills, a 5-year felony, and larceny by false pretense, a 1-year misdemeanor. He was ordered held on a $50,000 cash bond, no 10 percent.
Police say the second suspect, a 21-year-old man, has been released pending further investigation.
Investigators say Henderson went on the classifieds website Craigslist and set up meetings to buy items from various sellers. The Detroit man then allegedly used counterfeit $100 and $50 bills to pay for the transactions. To pull off his scheme and further the victims' confidence in the scam, police say Henderson used authentic smaller U.S. currency in addition to the counterfeit cash.
One victim in Orion Township told police he was held-up at gunpoint when he realized the money was fake. The incident happened just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 800 block of N. Long Lake Boulevard.
The alleged victim, an 18-year-old man, told investigators he was contacted by a couple of guys who wanted to buy an Apple laptop computer he'd posted for sale on Craigslist. They made plans to meet up, but when the victim mentioned the $800 from the sale looked fake, one of the buyers allegedly pulled a gun and pointed it at the victim before fleeing with the stolen computer, according to police. The victim called police, who spotted the suspects traveling southbound on I-75. They were pulled over near Wattles Rd. in Troy, and taken into custody.
Henderson denied a weapon was involved in the Orion Township crime, according to police, and an extensive search of the path travelled failed to locate a hand gun.
Investigators say Henderson is suspected in multiple other similar crimes in the area. They believe he's connected to a Craigslist robbery in Pontiac, in which three counterfeit $100 bills were used to buy an Xbox. Livonia Police are also investigating a similar case involving an Xbox transaction, during which a $300 pair of Air Jordan sneakers were also stolen.
"All law enforcement agencies are now working together comparing crime reports to determine which jurisdictions can prepare criminal complaints," police said in a statement.
An investigation is ongoing.
Safety Tip: Citizens buying through online classifieds are urged to use public locations with video surveillance systems in the parking lots or lobbies, and always perform transactions during daylight hours. These location would include local police stations, sheriff's offices and Secretary of State Offices during normal business hours. If the other party refuses to meet at this type of location, this should be taken that the transaction is suspicious and should be avoided. If it sounds too good to be true avoid the transaction.