A Vancouver man is accused in an armed carjacking of a Mercedes-Benz reportedly valued at $92,000.
Joseph “Joey” Leroy Barber, 33, appeared via video Friday on a warrant for first-degree robbery in Clark County Superior Court.
Judge Bernard Veljacic set Barber’s bail at $150,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 20, court records show.
Vancouver police officers were called Nov. 5 to the Target at 7809 N.E. Vancouver Plaza Drive for a reported armed robbery in the parking lot, during which a 2017 Mercedes AMG GT coupe was stolen, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The victim was loading merchandise into his car when he was approached by a man who pointed a gun at him from under his coat. The assailant demanded the victim’s wallet, cellphone and keys, before getting into the Mercedes and fleeing, the affidavit says.
Surveillance video from Target corroborated the victim’s statements, police said.
The victim’s stolen cellphone was later located by Vancouver police on Interstate 205, court records state, and the next day, a Kalama police officer found the stolen Mercedes in the 200 block of Kalama River Road. It was later searched, and an “airsoft/bb style handgun” was found inside that matched the description given by the victim.
A witness contacted the Kalama police officer Nov. 7 to report a suspicious person, known as “Joey,” showing up at the RV park where the witness was staying. “Joey” allegedly told the witness about the stolen Mercedes parked up the rode and asked for a ride, according to the affidavit.
The witness said he did not give “Joey” a ride, but he let him use his computer to contact his girlfriend via Facebook and stay the night. After “Joey” left, the witness found a set of keys in his fire pit that included a melted key fob for a Mercedes and turned it into police, court records say.
Police identified “Joey” as Barber through his girlfriend’s Facebook photos, the affidavit states.
The victim of the carjacking was shown one of the photos of Barber, and he said he was “100 percent” sure Barber was the man who robbed him and took his car, according to court documents.
