Edmonton teen carjacked at gunpoint during Facebook Marketplace sale loses vehicle again
An 18-year-old's 2006 Toyota Highlander was stolen at knifepoint Sept. 28, then spotted the next day — but vanished when police arrived.
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An 18-year-old Edmonton resident was carjacked at gunpoint while attempting to sell a pair of sneakers on Facebook Marketplace, losing a 2006 Toyota Highlander he had saved to buy.
The incident occurred at a McDonald's parking lot on James Mowatt Trail in the Rutherford area just after 7 p.m. on Monday, September 28. A masked person approached the victim's vehicle, displayed a gun, and ordered him out. Two suspects were in a getaway vehicle. The Edmonton Police Service arrived within 20 minutes.
"He asked for my phone and I said 'No, I'm not giving you my phone' and then he pointed a gun at me and then told me to step out," the victim said. The experience has left him unable to sleep. "I can't even sleep at night, you know, when somebody points a gun at you."
The vehicle was spotted Tuesday, September 29 at an apartment complex near Cunningham Way and Cunningham Drive — just across James Mowatt Trail from where it was stolen. A friend alerted the victim, who called 911. The non-emergency line put him on hold for an hour before he got through. Police instructed him not to approach the vehicle. When officers arrived, the SUV was being driven away and was lost in Mill Woods.
The victim's frustration compounded the trauma. "I can't really do anything because police told me to not touch it. It's like… something is in front of you and you can't really do anything," he said.
The Edmonton Police Service robbery section is investigating. This marks at least the third Facebook Marketplace-related incident the city has covered in recent months — two youth were charged in similar robberies in June, and a separate carjacking at gunpoint was reported on September 30.
Why was the victim placed on hold for an hour on the non-emergency line when the vehicle was spotted the next day?
Have the two suspects been identified or charged?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When and where was the teenager carjacked?
The carjacking occurred on Monday, September 28 at a McDonald's parking lot on James Mowatt Trail in Edmonton's Rutherford area, just after 7 p.m.
What vehicle was stolen?
A 2006 Toyota Highlander was stolen from the 18-year-old victim during the carjacking.
Where was the Highlander found?
The vehicle was spotted on Tuesday, September 29 at an apartment complex near Cunningham Way and Cunningham Drive, across James Mowatt Trail from where it was taken.
What happened when police arrived at the apartment complex?
When officers arrived on September 29, the SUV was being driven away and was lost in Mill Woods.
