CHICAGO — A man who lost his cell phone to an alleged Craigslist crook used the online classifieds to trick the robber into revealing himself, authorities said.
Nathaniel Henderson, 18, is charged with several counts of theft and one count of robbery for allegedly feigning interest in buying cell phones that were for sale on the classifieds website and then stealing them, prosecutors said.
Henderson would meet his mark, take the phone in his hand as if to inspect it and take off running, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti.
On Dec. 3, Henderson allegedly got away with a stolen cell phone after arranging to meet its owner in the 2700 block of North Damen Avenue. On Dec. 28, he met another Craigslist seller in the 2700 block of North Clybourn Avenue, prosecutors said.
But the second victim devised a plan to get his phone back.
He found a cell phone for sale on Craigslist that looked like his stolen phone and, with his brother, arranged to meet the seller in Lakeview in the 2700 block of North Elston Street, said Antonietti.
When Henderson arrived with the phone he was aiming to re-sell, the victims confronted him and a fight ensued, Antonietti said.
Henderson and his girlfriend allegedly attacked the two brothers and took $29 from one of them.
But the brothers later identified Henderson.
An attorney representing Henderson said he was attending Malcolm X College.
A Cook County judge set his bond at $75,000 on Monday.
