Accused armed female robber targeted potential buyers on Facebook Marketplace in North Port, police say

NORTH PORT, Fla. - Police are warning people who buy and sell online to use caution when meeting up for the transaction after they say a North Port woman robbed two different people at gunpoint after meeting them on Facebook Marketplace.

Twenty-one-year-old Cly'etavia Lee is now facing felony charges after police say she posed as a seller on Facebook Marketplace where she posted an ad for a car. When potential buyers met her in person, officers say she robbed them at gunpoint.

"The lady jumped in the car and demanded money, his wallet, and took off," North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor said.

When a second potential buyer showed up, police say she did the same thing, robbing the victim at gunpoint. She made off with more than $2,800 in cash as well as several credit cards. 

Cly'etavia Lee mugshot courtesy of the North Port Police Department. 

Police say she immediately tried to use at local stores which is how they were able to quickly track her down.

"When you have that amount of cash on you. You obviously are enticing to criminals, so they know they've got you in a location. They know you've brought cash to purchase an item. It's a risk. It really is," Taylor stated.

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As Taylor explains, it's all about where you meet. Make sure it's a well-lit, public place that you know is under video surveillance. Like many police stations, the North Port Police Department has its own e-commerce zone where they encourage people who buy and sell locally to conduct their transactions. 

North Port Police Department e-commerce zone is for people who want to make in-person transactions. 

Also, Taylor says it’s important to investigate the seller's page to see if they have any reviews or even any posts. In this case, Taylor says Lee's account had no previous activity and only one post which was the ad for the car.

"Fortunately for us, a lot of these criminals aren't very smart when it comes to this stuff. This obviously was not a well-thought-out crime. It is pretty rare that something like this would happen. This was a pretty brazen move for somebody to do and we're hopeful that more charges will come from this," Taylor said.

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Currently, Lee is being held in the Sarasota County Jail without bond. 

She's been charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and using a phone to facilitate a felony. 

Police believe she had an accomplice who was her driver. 

They are still looking for that person, but at this time are not releasing any details about a description.