29-year-old Albert C. Clark of West Palm Beach, Florida is accused of allegedly shooting and killing a 33-year-old Miami man. The man and his friend drive from Miami to Lantana to look at a truck that was for sale on the marketplace app OfferUp. The two men looked at the truck but decided not to buy it.
Clark allegedly said that he had another vehicle for sale but it was at another location. When the two men pulled up next to Clark’s vehicle, Clark is said to have gotten out of the vehicle and started firing. Then Clark is said to have robbed the surviving man of the $7,000 they brought with them.
Clark is also said to have fled from police when they approached his home. Clark reportedly claimed self-defense telling investigators that he was worried because the two men had followed him.
Normally, I would advise people who are going to one of these transactions to do so at a police department. However, with the current climate, I understand why some may not want to employ that option at this time. What I can recommend is that if one of the parties suggests moving the transaction to a different location from a public location, get out of there fast. This is often used as a ploy to rob you of either your cash or merchandise. Unfortunately, this is not the first instance of this kind of fatal deception that I’ve written about.
And again, just because apps like OfferUp look slick and modern, that doesn’t make them any less dangerous than craigslist.
Real Crime with Trench Reynolds 