Another Craigslist Robbery Hits San Diego

For the second time in less than two months, interested buyers looking to purchase laptops through Craigslist in San Diego County were robbed.

On Thursday night, a 21-year-old man and a friend told police they went to La Mesita Park in La Mesa around 8:30 p.m. to buy two Apple MacBook computers and were robbed of $2,100 by four assailants.

The two men told La Mesa police that upon arrival at the Dallas Street park they spotted two of the suspects sitting in a parked 1996 Honda Accord. When the victim and his friend approached the vehicle, the two suspects got out of the vehicle and one of them brandished a box cutter and demanded cash. At the same time, according to police, two others walked up behind and one of them punched the victim in the face, according to police.

All four suspects fled in the Accord, which police later learned was recently purchased in Tijuana, Mexico.

Police described the suspect with the box cutter as a Hispanic man about 19 years old, 140 pounds, 5 foot 9, with long, dark curly hair and tattoos on his right arm. The second suspect in the car was described as a Hispanic man between 20 and 25, 160 pounds, 5 foot 9, with long, dark curly hair and his left arm full of tattoos. Third and fourth suspects were described only as Hispanic males wearing dark clothing.

Just two months ago on May 11, was shot to death when he went to the Paradise Hills neighborhood to purchase a $600 computer for sale on Craigslist. Berki, 18, had attempted to follow his assailants after being robbed.

The three teenagers accused of killing the Mesa College student have all pleaded not guilty to murder, robbery and other charges. Rashon Abernathy, Seandell Jones and Shaquille Jordan, all 17, are being prosecuted as adults. They are in custody in lieu of $5 million bail each.

City News Service contributed to this report.