Two busted in Craigslist robberies

The price seemed like a steal. As it turned out, it was, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies said Tuesday.

Two Santa Clarita residents responding to a Craigslist ad for a camera were robbed in Hollywood Nov. 20 by three suspects who blocked their vehicle and took all their personal belongings, including their cellphones and cash for the camera.

The men wore ski masks and fled in a black BMW with no license plates. Deputies initially had little to go on except for the missing cellphones.

In the ensuing weeks, detectives found a similar incident that took place in the North Hollywood area, investigated by Los Angeles police.

Electronic communications were used to identify a potential suspect. That led authorities to the vehicle used in the crime and the arrest Dec. 3 of Talin Shahin, 25, of North Hollywood on suspicion of robbery.

Aram Damirjian, 27, of Canyon Country was arrested Dec. 7 just after he appeared in a San Fernando courtroom on an unrelated marijuana case.

During a search of Damirjian's residence in the 28200 block of Winterdale Drive, sheriff's investigators found evidence of a robbery as well as a marijuana growing operation in the garage that included 90 marijuana plants.

Damirjian, who is free on bail, faces charges of drug cultivation in addition to robbery. Shahin is being held without bail at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Century Regional Detention Facility and is due in court Dec. 30.

Sheriff's detectives said they are seeking an unidentified male suspect believed to have participated in the robbery. Anyone with information regarding this crime or the outstanding suspect is asked to call the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station at (661) 799-5141.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[LindaG]

Good job police! What a bunch of morons.

[Alex P. Gomez]

Glad these punks are off the street. Thanks for the warning.

[oprchick]

these people need to be deported.

[Emerson]

Ship them back to Armenia.

[Onboard skeptic]

This is strange from an ethnic viewpoint. Armenians rarely if ever commit these sorts of crimes. They're more into white collar crime(like hacking, swindling) associated with the Armenian mafia.

[Rabbi Pedro Goldstein]

Why is this Armenian immigrant out on BAIL for ARMED ROBBERY? He must be a friend of Lee Baca or Steve Cooley.

[jleary]

These people are petty,and they are stupid,and that makes them a danger to others.I say man!

[quackhead]

go back to armenia

[CASIMOD]

Sad to see that the economy has gone this bad. Let alone that craigslist is already a place to find discounts and now they get robbed. Glad to see that they didnt get away.

[RWh]

If you meet someone you don't know for a transaction, meet them at your local police station parking lot.

[That is actually a pretty good idea.]

Re: If you meet someone you don't know for a transaction, meet them at your local police station parking lot.

[Ed A]

Sweet! Good job cops!

We need more cops like these.

[woof-woof]

Thank you, Police!

[Scaley MacKerel]

Armo'd and Dangerous!

HA!

[Stephen J. Smith]

Sounds like these crooks were late for their MENSA meeting.............

[Greg Maragos]

I hate to be picking a nit, but I must take exception when the anybody chooses to refer to such robberies as "Craigslist" robberies.

For those of you who don't know, print media workers used to have a special nickname for Craigslist: "newspaper killer." In years past, newspapers relied heavily on revenue generated from classified advertising, but it was not really Craigslist that took this money away from them--it was the internet, and the refusal of many news outlets to adjust to a rapidly changing market.

Most Craigslist ads are free, and relatively anonymous, so it does have a certain appeal to the criminally inclined, but to malign the entire Craigslist community as merely a hornet's nest of robbers and murderers is patently unfair. The reason Craigslist has become so popular is that it allows people who are trying to sell small-to-medium-priced items like small furniture and old computers or TV's to do so at a fair price without having to sacrifice up to 25% of the proceeds in taking out a two-line classified ad that may or may not even get any phone calls.

I remember my ONE experience trying to sell a used sofa with a classified ad back in the 1990's. It was in decent shape, and, as I recall, I only wanted $100 for it. I had to pay $25 just to advertise it in the local classifieds. I got exactly ONE luke-warm phone call, and that was it. Lesson learned.

I was wondering something. If two people met through a newspaper classified ad, and the encounter went horribly wrong, what do you suppose the odds are that the resulting crime would be referred to as "The New York Times Classifieds" murder? Zero to none, by my reckoning.

[innercity]

if an offer from someone you don't know sounds too good to be true ...

[Loan Mod Software]

Sounds like they didn't set bail high enough on this perp. Hope they lock him up again soon...

[Jockeygirl]

People, it is not safe for anyone driveing to a place,to buy anything over $40.00,that is on any classified ads. Even then,meet in a place that is busy
with customers. Like,inside a McDonalds!! Have 2 or more people with you.
Never go alone. And, park safely. Check the area out before pulling in to park.
It is best, not to wear jewelry. Get a can of pepper spray. At least,you can blind them enough to get away. Pepper spray,is cheap,easy to use. And,its saved me
a few times,and I feel more confident walking with it,in my hand.