The grieving parents of 23-year-old Josh Grey are certain the Letgo app helped lure their son to an iPhone robbery turned deadly. So, now, after his tragic murder, they are warning others to be careful.
At just 23 years old, Joshua Grey of Virginia had big dreams of modeling one day and living by the water. Sadly though, an act of senseless violence robbed him of those dreams. It also left his family grieving over the loss of their loved one. And hopefully, their warning can save other lives from the same fate.
Popular Letgo App Helped Lure Victim
Josh’s dad says his son had recently started using the Letgo application. Similar to Craigslist, it’s a popular app for buying and selling secondhand items locally.
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Josh was looking to sell his iPhone and agreed to meet a potential buyer on a Monday afternoon. The Letgo app helped lure Josh to an intersection in a rough part of Richmond. There, a thief shot and robbed him instead of paying for the phone.
After the robbery, Josh crawled to a nearby convenience store where he succumbed to his injuries. Security cameras captured his murder and police have released footage of the alleged shooter in the hopes of making an arrest.
“I just hope that everyone that sees this video tonight, that if there’s someone out there that know something, they can reach out to police and help them solve this crime,” Josh’s grieving father said. “It’s a senseless tragic crime. It never should have happened.”
It’s heartbreaking to think Josh’s life ended too soon all because of an iPhone. And as difficult as it is, Josh’s parents are courageously sharing his story so others using Letgo and similar apps are aware of the potential danger of meeting up with strangers. They are also honoring their son’s memory by setting up the Joshua Adam Grey Memorial Scholarship Fund for Aspiring College Students.
WATCH: Letgo App Lured Young Man Into Robbery Turned Deadly
Safety Tips For Buying/Selling Online
Sadly, Josh’s tragic story isn’t the only one. There are plenty of other reports of Letsgo setups, from robberies to scams and sadly, murder.
“Anytime you’re dealing with strangers your risk level of something bad happening goes up,” former police detective Steve Kardin told ABC News.
RELATED: Thief Caught On Camera Has A Change Of Heart And Returns Items With ‘I'm Sorry' Note
So, here are some tips for staying safe when buying or selling items through sites and apps like Letgo:
- Only communicate with the buyer/seller through the app. Don’t give out any personal information like your address, phone number, etc. Likewise, don’t give out any of your financial information.
- Do your homework. Check out the buyer’s/seller’s app profile, ratings, and reviews.
- Bring someone along with you when meeting a buyer/seller.
- Set up meetings in a busy, safe public place. The best idea is to meet in the parking lot of your local police station. Frank Sabol, a police sergeant from Florida says, “Criminals do not want to commit crimes at the police department. They know that their likelihood of being arrested or getting caught greatly increases.”
- Trust your gut. If anything feels “off,” cancel the meeting. No item or sale is worth putting your life in jeopardy.
Please be sure to share this story with others as an important reminder to use extra caution when buying or selling items online.
WATCH: Victim Warns Of Criminals Using Letgo App
h/t & Featured Image: WTVR
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