Ten years ago, maybe even longer, I had an obsession with Craigslist; everything in my apartment (with the exception of bedding and personal hygiene items) was furnished with great finds from their "for sale" and "free" categories. Nice stuff, too.

The people I purchased the items from were also nice; I consider myself to be extremely lucky that every purchase I've made through an app or website has been a safe success.

Unfortunately, 43-year-old Trinidad Bueno-Sanchez of North Chicago, will never be able to say the same.

According to WGN, Bueno Sanchez was selling an iPhone 6 on the mobile marketplace, OfferUp; when someone showed interest in purchasing it, he arranged to meet them in the parking lot of Meijer in Round Lake Beach.

That's when Bueno Sanchez made one very tiny mistake; which just goes to show how trusting this father of one must have been- when he went to make the exchange with the five teens who were waiting for him in the parking lot, he leaned inside the car to hand them the iPhone and grab an envelope that was supposed to be filled with $450 in cash. There was only a few dollars in it and when the teens realized that the victim was on to them, they sped off while he was still leaning inside the window.

Bueno-Sanchez was dragged along with the car and then fell to the pavement; hitting his head. He died a few days later.

A coroner ruled his death a "homicide caused by head trauma;" and three teenagers, 16, 17 and 18-years-old, are facing criminal charges including reckless homicide and robbery.

So sad, and so senseless. If you use the mobile app OfferUp, LetGo, Social Sell or any market place group on Facebook; please be safe and always bring someone with you. I've even had friends arrange to meet a seller in a police station parking lot. You can never be too safe these days.


Catch Mandy James on “The Steve Shannon Show with Mandy James” on 97 ZOK from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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