York Regional Police have charged three men in connection with a violent robbery in Markham last week in relation to a buy-and-sell meetup gone wrong.
Police say on Wednesday, March 12, at around 5 p.m., they responded to a parking lot in the area of Woodbine Avenue and Yorktech Drive for a report of a robbery.
Police say the victim went to the location to sell several pairs of high-end shoes to a buyer he met online.
While showing the items, four people, including the buyer, violently assaulted the seller.
They fled with the victim’s jewelry, wallet and three pairs of shoes, police said.
One thief brandished a knife during the robbery, police said in a news release.
Investigators have since charged three male suspects in relation to the robbery.
Ethan Luong, 21, Daniel Dinh Le, 22, and Arjun Sharma, 24, all of Vaughan, are charged with armed robbery.
Police said investigators are appealing for additional witnesses as one suspect remains at large.
York Regional Police reminded anyone using a buy-and-sell website to take steps to ensure their transactions are safe.
Always meet in a public place, such as your local police station. Bring someone with you and if you can, find a location that has security cameras for extra protection.
"If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Use common sense and trust your gut," police said. "If you don’t feel comfortable with the situation, then don’t show up for the meeting."
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to contact YRP at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7545, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
