Durham teen charged in pair of ‘LetGo’ armed robberies
A Durham man has been arrested and charged with robbing two people at gunpoint during transactions involving the “LetGo” app.
Shelly Maurice Fields, 19, of Durham was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. He has been placed in Durham County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, Durham police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said Thursday.
One incident was reported on Dec. 26 on Sylvias Court. The victim told officers he had contacted a man through “LetGo” to buy a gaming system and had agreed to meet on Sylvias Court. When the victim arrived, a man approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded money.
Fields is also charged with robbing a man and his relatives on Dec. 27 on Ross Road.
The man told police he had made arrangements to purchase a car through “LetGo” and went to the 2700 block of Ross Road to meet the seller. The victim pulled into a driveway and got out of his car. A man approached him, pointed a gun at him and demanded money. The victim pulled out a knife and fought with the suspect until a second man approached them.
The second man then went to the victim’s car and took phones from the victim’s relatives who were in the car.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
The Durham Police Department offered the following crime prevention tips with respect to “LetGo” and other crime resulting from contact made with online buyers and sellers:
▪ Be cautious and trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, leave
▪ Meet in a public place (for example, a fast food restaurant)
▪ Meet during daylight hours
▪ Tell a friend or family member where you are going
▪ Take a friend with you, if possible
▪ Do not carry large amounts of cash
▪ Do not divulge personal information
▪ Be wary of last minute changes in the meeting location
▪ Save any and all communications with the seller/buyer (text messages, emails, voicemails, etc.)
This story was originally published January 11, 2018 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Durham teen charged in pair of ‘LetGo’ armed robberies."