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An 18-year-old Edmonton man lost his car at gunpoint during what was supposed to be a routine Facebook Marketplace sneaker sale in southwest Edmonton on Monday, September 28. The teenager, whom Global News is not identifying for safety reasons, had recently graduated high school and saved up to buy a 2006 Toyota Highlander. Instead of completing a simple transaction, he became the victim of an armed carjacking.
Armed Robbery at a McDonald’s Parking Lot
The victim was helping his brother sell a pair of sneakers through an online listing. They arranged to meet the potential buyers in the parking lot of a McDonald’s on James Mowatt Trail in the Rutherford area, arriving just after 7 p.m. However, the buyers showed no interest in the shoes.
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While his brother handled what they believed was the exchange, a masked individual approached the teenager inside his vehicle. “He asked for my phone and I said ‘No, I’m not giving you my phone’ and then he pointed a gun at me and then told me to step out,” the victim recalled. A bystander in a nearby vehicle captured the incident on video. The footage shows two suspects climbing into the Toyota SUV and speeding away. Edmonton police arrived within 20 minutes of the carjacking.
The ordeal left the young man shaken. “I can’t even sleep at night, you know, when somebody points a gun at you,” he said. “I’m just 18.”
Stolen Vehicle Spotted — Then Lost Again
The frustration did not end there. The following morning, on Tuesday, September 29, a friend contacted the victim after spotting the stolen Highlander near Cunningham Way and Cunningham Drive. The location was just across James Mowatt Trail from where the carjacking had occurred the night before.
The victim rushed to the scene and immediately called 911. However, the dispatcher told him it was not an emergency and directed him to call the Edmonton Police Service non-emergency line at #377. He then spent an hour on hold before reaching an officer. Police instructed him not to approach the vehicle and to wait for officers to arrive.
“I can’t really do anything because police told me not to touch it. It’s like something is in front of you and you can’t really do anything,” he said. By the time officers arrived, the stolen SUV was already moving. Police lost sight of it in the Mill Woods area.
The Edmonton Police Service confirmed it responded to the original carjacking at 7:15 p.m. on September 28. Officers were also dispatched the next day after the stolen vehicle was spotted. The EPS robbery section is currently investigating both incidents.
A Growing Pattern of Marketplace Robberies
This carjacking is part of a broader trend involving online buy-and-sell platforms. Earlier this year, Edmonton police issued a public safety reminder after more than a dozen robberies occurred within a single month. Victims were targeted while trying to sell items through Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji.
In February alone, police received approximately 15 reports of robberies during sales of higher-priced items such as cellphones and brand-name clothing. In each case, a suspect posed as a buyer, evaluated the item, and then called in at least one accomplice. Together, the suspects robbed the seller. In some cases, they threatened victims with violence, and in at least one incident, a suspect produced a firearm.
Police urge both buyers and sellers to stay alert when arranging in-person meetups for online transactions. As a safety measure, the Edmonton Police Service has established dedicated exchange zones in the parking lots of four police stations across the city. Each zone features bright lighting and video cameras to record transactions.
The four locations are the Northeast division station at 14203 50 Street, the Southeast division station at 104 Youville Drive East, the Southwest division station at 1351 Windermere Way SW, and the West division station at 16505 100 Avenue NW. The program originally launched in 2020 as a pilot project at the Southwest division in Windermere. Due to its success, the city expanded it to the additional three locations.
However, police caution that the camera feeds are not monitored around the clock. The stations also close overnight. Therefore, people using these zones must still remain aware of their personal safety. Further information about online transaction safety and the EPS Buy and Sell Exchange Zones is available on the Edmonton Police Service website.
