A pair of thieves are behind bars after Coral Springs police say they used Facebook to lure a teen who was selling an iPhone to a meeting spot where they robbed him at gunpoint.
Deandre Chambers, 24, and a 17-year-old were arrested Wednesday after they arranged to buy the phone from another 17-year-old at the Big Lots at 725 N. University Drive, Coral Springs Police said.
But when they arrived, the suspects convinced the teen to move the meeting spot to the Savannah Apartments complex at 711 Riverside Drive.
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Chambers and the other suspect got into the victim's car and the teen suspect pulled out a handgun and pressed it against the victim's torso, telling him "give it up," police said.
"After I was showing them it, they grabbed it and I said what are you doing, and they reached around my seat and put the gun to my hip," the victim, Kristoff Tulloch, told NBC 6 South Florida.
He said he reacted by hitting one of the alleged robbers in the face.
"Could've been shot but, testing my luck, and then I hit one and then they panicked and ran out the car," he said.
Police said that the suspects grabbed the iPhone and $40 from the center console and fled in their car..
Tulloch followed them to the Coral Square Mall parking lot, where he spotted a group of motor officers who were training and told them what happened.
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Officers surrounded the mall and arrested Chambers in the Macy's store, police said. The teen suspect was later arrested at a home in Tamarac.
The iPhone was later found by police inside Macy's.
Chambers and the other suspect were charged with armed robbery. Chambers remained behind bars without bond Wednesday and the teen was taken to the juvenile assessment center. It was unknown whether they have attorneys.
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Sgt. Bradley McKeon said that in this case fighting back worked out OK for the victim, but police don't normally recommend it.
"Is your life or your injury really worth a cell phone or jewelry or some money?" he asked.
