Undercover sting catches Facebook Marketplace robbers in the act

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. - Two men were arrested for robbing people they met on Facebook Marketplace. Investigators say there are at least three victims in two jurisdictions.  

In Powder Springs, a man had a Samsung phone for sale for $900. The seller and buyer agreed to meet at the entrance to a neighborhood. It should have been a simple transaction, but instead it turned into a violent robbery. 

"As soon as they started to walk off, the two individuals that were purchasing the phone brandished a firearm and one of them pointed it at the face of the victim and demanded for him to give up everything he had in his pockets," said Powder Springs Police Capt. Jason Holcombe.  

Detectives soon learned the same strategy was used in Cobb County to commit robberies. Investigators compared notes, followed leads and searched videos.  

Then they set up their own Facebook Marketplace transactions. 

"Our detectives and Cobb County detectives posing as sellers on Facebook Marketplace, undercover. Cobb was able to set up a buy on a cellphone device which they arrested the two individuals. At that point we also interviewed the two individuals and got confessions on the armed robberies in our jurisdiction as well," said Capt. Holcombe. 

Seventeen-year-old Tristian Barnes and 20-year-old Isaiah Drummer were booked in the Cobb County Jail charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault.  

Investigators say they successfully pulled off three armed robberies in less than two weeks, getting away with phones, cash, electronics, and even car keys. In some cases, police say they used a pistol to threaten the victims. Investigators now want to know if they are also connected to other robberies. 

"If anybody else has had this happen to them, please come forward to Cobb Police or Powder Springs Police," said Capt. Holcbome.