Two robbers again accosted a couple on Ventura Avenue after enticing them into Albany with an advertisement on Craigslist about a $3,800 1999 Honda, authorities said Tuesday night.
At about 8:20 p.m., police received a call from a woman on Ventura saying she and her boyfriend had just been robbed at gunpoint after agreeing to meet in Albany about a car for sale, said officer John Torres, .
Torres said the couple, in their early- to mid-20s and from Richmond, agreed to a meet in the 1000 block of Ventura on Tuesday night to check out a car.
As they were walking to the meet-up spot, two men emerged with handguns and demanded their money.
The robbers took off with a wallet and phone from the couple, fleeing southbound toward Posen Avenue. They did not get any cash, said Torres, because the couple had only been planning to look at the vehicle.
He said the robbers had a similar description to those involved in a , but Albany detectives would later have to determine whether it was indeed the same duo.
Police responded to the scene but were not able to locate the robbers.
The couple said the ad they saw was posted Tuesday at about noon; it no longer appeared to be posted as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.
The robbers were described as black men in the their mid-20s, 6 feet tall and 180 to 200 pounds. One was wearing a light-colored jacket and baseball-style cap. The other was in a dark hoodie and dark pants.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Torres said, in a robbery, victims should try to be compliant rather than combative.
He urged consumers using services such as Craigslist to choose safe locations they're familiar with, such as public areas in the daytime.
"Generally just think about your safety all the way around," Torres said. "It's hard to predict when it's not a legitimate ad. Just be very cautious when you're making arrangements with people you don't know."
He said, though it can be difficult during high-stress situations, that victims should try to pay special attention to physical descriptions that police would need to make an identification.
"We like to think of Albany as a safe place," he continued, "and generally it is. But always think about safety. If you're always conscious of where you are, and your surroundings, you make yourself that much safer."
Police ask anyone with information that may be relevant to crimes in Albany to call 510-525-7300.
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If there's something in this article you think , or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email albany@patch.com.
