A person who was trying to sell a laptop through Craigslist was badly injured when the sale turned into a robbery, police said, and they have arrested two suspects.
Just before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, police received a report of a strong-armed robbery at McDonald’s, at 144 Deming Street in Manchester, so they responded and met with the victim.
The victim told police he was selling a Macbook Pro laptop on Craigslist and received a text message from someone claiming interest in buying the laptop, so they made arrangements to meet at for the prospective buyers to see it, police said.
He said he sat down at a table with one of the suspects, passed over the laptop for the man to look at it, and the suspect pretended to look at it for a minute, but then ran off with it.
The victim chased after the man and soon realized the thief had an accomplice, because the other man tripped the victim and put him in a chokehold, police said, then the two suspects then ran off.
The victim sustained several injuries during the incident including a separated shoulder and some minor facial injuries, police said.
Officers investigated and arrested Lyman Depriest, 18, of West Haven, and charged him with second-degree robbery, third-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, fourth-degree larceny, fourth-degree conspiracy to commit larceny and third-degree conspiracy to commit assault.
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On Feb. 25, he turned himself in to police and was held on a $10,000 cash-only bond. He will appear in court this morning.
Pentecost Asoh, 19, of New Haven, was charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, third-degree conspiracy to commit assault, fourth-degree conspiracy to commit larceny and third-degree assault, second-degree robbery and fourth-degree larceny.
Central Connecticut State University arrested him on Feb. 2 and turned him over to Manchester Police.
He was held on a $125,000 court-set bond and is due in court on March 5.
Police made the arrests at a time when law enforcement authorities in some towns are creating "safe zones" at police stations, where people can safely conduct Craigslist transactions.
The Hartford police department is also working on making their parking lot available as a "safe zone."
