Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Video captured the moment a couple was ambushed at gunpoint while trying to sell an iPad in Pomona.
The victim, Eduardo Reyes, met the suspect through OfferUp, an online marketplace that allows people to sell items to local buyers.
The suspect had messaged Reyes, saying he was interested in purchasing an iPad that Reyes posted for sale on Dec. 23.
Reyes agreed to meet the buyer in a residential neighborhood.
âThey wanted to meet in a public street which I usually donât do, but he sounded like he was a kid and heâs like, âOh, Iâm going to have my mom come out with me,ââ recalled Reyes.
Surveillance video from the victimâs Tesla captured Reyes and his wife stepping out of their car to meet the suspect.
The suspect aggressively shoves the barrel of his handgun against Reyesâ neck while trying to grab his iPad. A second suspect runs out from around the street corner, ambushing the couple.
âHe started running towards me,â Reyes recalled. âWhen he ran towards me, I grabbed the iPad. I turned around and the other person had already taken out the gun and said, âGive me your iPad! Give me your iPad!ââ
Video shows Reyes refusing to hand over his iPad while the suspect eventually wrestles him to the ground.
âI was like, âThereâs no way they have a real gun, thatâs crazyâ and I was concerned because my wife was there and I was like, âWhat if they try to do something to her?ââ Reyes said.
At one point, a suspect spots Reyesâ wife standing off to the side. He quickly runs over to her and bodyslams her to the ground.
The suspectsâ handguns went off multiple times before the robbers eventually took the iPad and fled the area on foot.
Reyes is seen walking back to his car with blood running down his face. Despite the terrifying ordeal, he said heâs thankful things didnât turn deadly.
âIt couldâve gone bad,â he said. âIt couldâve gone really bad.â
When conducting sales transactions with a buyer in person, police recommend always meeting in a well-lit, busy location, such as a shopping center or a police station, and always sharing the meeting location with a trusted person.
Although Reyes had previously sold over 50 items on OfferUp without issue, he now realizes it only takes one bad experience for things to go wrong. He said heâll be making changes for his future transactions.
âMeeting in a public place, preferably around the police station or something and Iâll try to get more information out of them, like maybe their phone number or something,â Reyes said.
The victim said his wifeâs cell phone was also taken during the robbery but police later located it in a yard nearby. Reyes is hoping the suspects will be arrested soon before they target another victim.
Anyone who recognizes the robbers or has additional information is asked to call the Pomona Police Department at 909-622-1241.
