Crime & Safety
Redwood City Man Robbed Man of Cell Phones After Arranging Sale Via Facebook, Police Say
Police say the man set up a meeting with someone who was selling used cell phones after seeing an ad online, and when it came time to pay for the goods-- he instead pulled out a gun.
A Redwood City man was arrested Friday, after police say they connected him to a recent cell phone hold-up.
According to a Redwood City police alert, 21-year-old Denmark Copeland robbed a man in a parking lot of the 2400 block of El Camino Real, near Woodside Road, around 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
"The victim had four used cellular phones for sale and he had them advertised on a Facebook website page," Lt. Sean Hart said in the police alert. "Copeland contacted the victim and agreed to purchase the cellular phones and arranged a meeting in the parking lot."
That victim apparently went to the parking lot to broker the deal with Copeland, and got into Copeland's car for payment, according to Hart.
"Copeland pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim and robbed him of the cellular phones," Hart said. "The victim exited the vehicle and Copeland fled in the vehicle."
After taking a police report on the incident, a Redwood police officer identified Copeland as the primary suspect in the case.
The next day, officers then conducted surveillance at "residences associated with Copeland" and spotted him in the 300 block of McEvoy Street, according to Hart. He was arrested then.
"Detectives located a metal replica handgun concealed in Copeland’s waistband when he was arrested and evidence connecting him to the robbery," Hart added.
Copeland was taken to the San Mateo County jail, and booked on robbery charges, according to police.
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