Two robbed at gunpoint after responding to online ad for a phone

Two people were robbed at gunpoint Saturday after responding to an online advertisement for a cell phone, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

The two met the seller at a Hazel Dell sports complex in response to an ad posted on OfferUp.com.

After they met, the would-be seller displayed a pistol and demanded money from the victims, the sheriff’s office said. During the encounter, one of the victims snapped a photo that included the suspect. The sheriff’s office shared a cropped version of the photo.

The suspect was described as a 20- to 30-year-old black man who was about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 160 pounds.

The sheriff’s office asked anyone with information on the suspect to call Detective Drew Kennison at 360-989-7803.

Both the sheriff’s office and Vancouver Police Department offer some of their parking lots as “safe exchange zones,” where strangers can meet to hand off purchases made online with the assurance police are nearby.

The hand-off parking areas are available at Vancouver police administration, West Precinct and East Precinct buildings, and at the West Precinct sheriff office.