Aleksandr Voznyuk
Petr Strizheus
ADAMS COUNTY- You may want think twice when using the popular classifieds website Craigslist from now on.
On Friday, one Brighton man was carjacked after meeting what he thought to be potential buyers in the parking lot of a local Target.
The two men requested a test drive in the vehicle and drove to a cul-de-sac at the intersection of 136 Avenue and Interstate 76 where they proceeded to tell the victim to exit the car and brandished a weapon. The victim exited and heard two shots fired and ran. That was the last he saw of the car.
The carjackers drove into Nebraska where they were spotted by state troopers. The men fired shots at one trooper who was unharmed. The two men reportedly from South Dakota were arrested the following day.
"We don't see a whole lot of this. As with anything there is that small percentage of individuals who do the wrong thing," Sgt. Terrance O'Neill of the Adams County Sheriff's Office said.
Sgt. O'Neill says some of the things to remember when meeting someone from Craigslist are:
- Always have someone accompany you when meeting someone from Craigslist.
- Arrange the meeting in a busy, public place. Larger stores will have security cameras in parking lots.
- Meet as close as possible to entrances or exits. The more people around, the more opportunity for witnesses.
- Meet during the day when it is well lit.
- Always carry a cellphone.
- Trust your instincts. If something does not seem right, end the meeting.
- In the case of a car sale, if a test drive is requested, ask to see a driver's license. Copy the license number, name, date of birth and verify the photo.
Alex Vitale contributed to this report.
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