Teen charged with 4 counts of robbery after allegedly snatching iPhones at SkyTrain station
Metro Vancouver Transit Police say a young offender has been charged with four counts of robbery in relation to incidents that occurred at a Burnaby transit hub over the course of a year.
In a statement Thursday, police said the youth – who cannot be named because of the Youth Criminal Justice Act – has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on April 22.
MVTP did not specify when the robberies occurred, saying only that they happened over a one-year span.
Each time, the victim had advertised a "newer model iPhone" for sale and been contacted by a prospective buyer. At the supposed buyer's request, the victims agreed to meet at "a transit hub" in Burnaby, police said.
Asked by CTV News, MVTP confirmed the transit hub in question was Edmonds SkyTrain Station.
"Once the seller arrived at the location, a young person would quickly grab the phone out of their hands and flee," the MVTP statement reads.
Investigators linked all of the robberies to the same individual, police said.
"When conducting person-to-person exchanges in a public place, whether purchasing or selling items from online marketplaces, it is recommended to choose locations that are well-lit, commonly travelled and potentially monitored by surveillance cameras," said Const. Travis Blair in the statement.
"If possible, bring a friend with you, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Also, check with your local municipal police department to see if there is a safe exchange space at their facility. Trust your instincts and cancel the meeting if you feel unsafe."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas rocket attack from Gaza sets off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv for the first time in months
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for the first time in months on Sunday in a show of resilience more than seven months into Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event. The family asked for privacy and that people honor Murray by being kind to one another.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
'Inspires a sense of adventure': Sask. man conquers Mount Everest
A Saskatchewan man made it to the summit of Mount Everest earlier this month.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
Indianapolis 500 delayed as strong storm forces fans to evacuate Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed as a strong storm pushed through the area Sunday, forcing Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to evacuate about 125,000 fans who had already arrived for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
At least 9 dead in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after severe weather roars across region
Powerful storms killed at least nine people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.