Facebook Marketplace meetups in Atlanta turn into armed robberies
Facebook Marketplace buyers robbed at gunpoint on street
Police are searching for suspects who robbed multiple Facebook Marketplace buyers on Pomona Circle between July 1 and July 28. Atlanta Police Sergeant Sean Houston urges the public to conduct online transactions inside monitored safe exchange zones located at every police precinct.
ATLANTA - Atlanta police are warning about a series of armed robberies that began as arranged Facebook Marketplace meetups.
What we know:
Police said three victims went to Pomona Circle in southwest Atlanta after arranging transactions through Facebook Marketplace. Instead of completing the expected transactions, each victim was robbed at gunpoint.
Three robberies in less than a month
The robberies happened between July 1 and July 28, according to investigators.
Police believe the same people are responsible for all three incidents and are asking for the public's help identifying them.
- On July 1, 2026, they robbed a victim at gun point of money during a Facebook Marketplace meet up to buy a PlayStation 5.
- On July 21, 2026, an individual robbed a victim while brandishing a gun, attempting to rob him of money during a Facebook Marketplace meet up to buy an Xbox.
- On July 28, 2026, the thieves robbed a victim by brandishing a firearm and taking his money during a Facebook Marketplace meet up to buy a PlayStation 5.
Surveillance video captured the suspects, and investigators are working to identify them.
'Be ready for the worst'
The Pomona Circle cases are not isolated. A month ago, FOX 5 spoke with an Atlanta man who was robbed during what he thought was a Facebook Marketplace sale. He asked not to be identified.
He said he showed up expecting to buy a phone. Instead, he was ambushed.
"Someone whacked me instantly, ran into my car and smacked me in the head with a rifle through my window, and someone else got into the passenger seat and pointed a Glock to my face," he said.
The suspects, whom he described as teenagers, tried to send themselves money, he said.
"I didn't know how to react at the time. I was frozen, surprised, in shock," he said.
He walked away without lasting physical injury but said it changed him.
"I didn't take care of my safety. I wasn't aware of my surroundings," he said. "Be ready for the worst, because if you're not, you might lose your life from it."
Where police say you should meet
Atlanta police say the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to complete online sales at one of the department's Safe Exchange Zones, monitored spots located outside every APD precinct.
Sgt. Shaun Houston, of APD's Property Crimes Section, said the citywide program gives buyers and sellers a secure, well-lit place to meet instead of a home or a friend's address.
"We want you to make sure you have a set location which is safe, somewhere we can monitor you, which is 24 hours a day. You can make your exchange and go on about your day," he said.
Houston said the zones are open to everyone, inside or outside the city, for purchases large or small.
If you can't get to a Safe Exchange Zone, Houston said, you can call APD's non-emergency line and ask for an officer to be in the area during the exchange.
What you can do:
Anyone with information that could help investigators identify those involved is asked to contact police. A reward is being offered for information in the case.
That reward is up to $5,000 for the arrest and indictment of the suspects, and tipsters do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible, according to police.
Tips can be submitted anonymously in the following ways:
- Call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 404-577-8477
- Visit www.stopcrimeatl.org
- Use the P3 Tips app
To find the nearest APD precinct and Safe Exchange Zone, visit atlantapd.org.