Southwest
Facebook Marketplace shoppers terrorized at gunpoint after teens lure victims with holiday gift items: police
Two teen suspects out of Houston are on the run after allegedly staging Facebook Marketplace scams and then robbing victims, according to police.
Arlando Lyles, 17, is wanted for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and theft from a person, and Christian Ray Pickett, 18, is wanted for theft from a person. Additional charges are pending, according to the Houston Police Department (HPD).
Lyles and Pickett are at least two suspects wanted in a series of incidents stemming from Facebook Marketplace, in which suspects pose as sellers with fake profiles, meet up with buyers in person and then rob the buyers, HPD’s Robbery Division said in a press release.
HPD officers believe there may be more suspects involved who are posing as fake sellers on Facebook Marketplace. Investigators say the robberies have occurred at 15 locations involving 15 different victims, at least, since Sept. 21.
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Christian Ray Pickett, 18, and Arlando Lyles, 17, are wanted for their roles in a string of alleged Facebook Marketplace robberies. ( Houston PD)
Facebook Marketplace is a subsection of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users.
While the social media selling platform does have certain protections in place for buyers, it is rife with scammers who use fake profile pictures and names to pose as different people online. For example, a scammer might use a fake profile picture showing an elderly couple or young family in an effort to look like a realistic seller.
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HPD says the 15 robberies since September occurred in “a variety of apartment complex parking lots in Southeast Houston.”
Lyles allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of a family of five who traveled to a meeting location together in their vehicle while the woman’s 15-year-old son was just a few feet away. The father and their two other children, ages 8 and 10, ducked for cover inside the vehicle, according to ABC 13.
Houston Police Department says the 15 robberies since September occurred in “a variety of apartment complex parking lots in Southeast Houston.” (Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
They intended to buy a PlayStation 5 from Lyles, whom the 15-year-old mother had been chatting with on Facebook Marketplace extensively before they met up, mostly in Spanish. However, when they arrived at the meeting location and Lyles did not speak Spanish, the 15-year-old had a feeling something was wrong, according to ABC 13.
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“It’s cash in hand, ma’am. I just recently had a lot of bad experiences, not anything toward you,” Lyles allegedly said in one message before meeting up at a parking lot location he allegedly suggested.
The 15-year-old and his mother got out of their vehicle to complete the transaction when things went south. Lyles allegedly demanded to see the $250 they brought in cash to buy the PlayStation before he handed it over.
Scammers are using the Facebook Marketplace to steal your information. (CyberGuy.com)
“I got [out of] the car, then my mom got off the car and when I was about to open it, he reached into his pocket, pulls [a gun] out, then aims it at mom, like to give him the money, and then he ran with the PS5 too,” the 15-year-old told ABC 13.
“Once the buyer arrives at the location, the suspects then rob the victim by pointing a firearm at them and then taking their money,” the HPD Robbery Division said in a press release.
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Their whereabouts were unknown as of Wednesday morning, and police are still asking the public for help looking for the two wanted teenagers. They are asking anyone who may have seen Lyles or Pickett to contact police.
In a video PSA posted to HPD’s X account on Nov. 26, Robbery Detective C. Lee recommended buyers suggest meeting Facebook Marketplace sellers at a local police department to complete their transactions and “avoid becoming a victim.”
Facebook Marketplace is a subsection of Facebook where any user can buy or sell items from other users. (Nic Coury / AFP)
“Look for things like profile pictures and account activity as good signs,” Lee said. “Many of these accounts that we’re seeing are blank accounts that are only used a few times.”
The suspects often offer deals that are “too good to be true” and dictate the meeting place to connect with buyers, Lee said.
Police are asking anyone with information about these robberies to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston directly at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting an online tip at www.crime-stoppers.org. Information leading to an arrest may result in a cash payment of up to $5,000.
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A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
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Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. The alleged gunman is circled. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
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