NJ thief used Facebook Marketplace to lure victims with Playstation 5s — and hit one with his car: cops

[The Bobster]

NJ thief used Facebook Marketplace to lure victims with Playstation 5s — and hit one with his car: cops

Yassine G. Rahi, 18, of Bayonne, was arrested after allegedly hitting one of his robbery victims with his car, then fleeing, cops said.

nypost.com

NJ thief used Facebook Marketplace to lure victims with Playstation 5s — and hit one with his car: cops​

By
Social Links for Steve Janoski



Published April 7, 2024, 4:42 p.m. ET








A New Jersey man was arrested for robbing Facebook Marketplace buyers who responded to his ads for video game consoles after he allegedly hit one of the victims with his car, authorities said.


Yassine G. Rahi, 18, of Bayonne, was charged with a litany of crimes for the March 20 hit-and-run, which left an unidentified 22-year-old with “serious bodily injury,” according to a statement from Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.


The young con man met the victim at a pre-arranged meetup spot in the small town of Moonachie at about 5 p.m. that day, the statement said.


6
Yassine Rahi of Bayonne, New Jersey, was arrested for robbing people who showed up to buy PlayStation 5’s from him over Facebook Marketplace, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Facebook
6
The 18-year-old con man allegedly advertised consoles like this on Facebook, authorities said. Facebook


But instead of handing over the PlayStation 5 he advertised on Facebook, Rahi allegedly took about $275 from the victim and sped off, hitting the hapless buyer in the process.

Explore More​

Here's the forecast for the 2024 solar eclipse: Cloudy with a chance of disappointment ​

Top LI doctor killed when she flies out of door of Airstream trailer — still clutching handle — during family road trip ​

Massive container ship loses power near NYC's Verrazzano Bridge days after Baltimore Key Bridge disaster ​

When the prosecutor’s office investigated, they found a string of similar incidents in northern New Jersey in which a fake seller using fictitious Facebook accounts would lure PlayStation buyers to a specific area, then steal their cash, according to Musella.


County investigators identified Rahi as their alleged thief, the statement said.


They also linked him to a similar rip-and-run in the New Jersey town of Guttenberg on March 26, according to the Hudson County View.


Local and county authorities finally collared Rahi in Bayonne on April 4, the prosecutor’s office said.


Rahi has been charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury, fourth-degree theft and other offenses, Musella said.


6
Rahi’s seller profile on Facebook Marketplace, where he allegedly arranged the meetups. Facebook