TROY, N.Y. - It started innocently as an online friendship according to the Troy Police Department; a 19-year-old male from Rensselaer County friended by someone who he thought was a young lady.
"They made a date, he came down at her wishes and they were going to go bowling or something, she said 'meet me at this location,'" Troy Police Captain Dan Dewolf explained.
That location was on Jackson near 1st and 2nd Streets. Police say the victim's "lady friend" turned out to be a group of three people, including 19-year-old Isaiah Bridges.
"She never materializes and he is mugged basically," Dewolf added.
According to the police report the victim was attacked and injured. Dewolf says the suspects stole an ATM card and a phone from the victim. However, the Facebook friendship didn't end there.
"The very next day he was contacted again on Facebook by this person who had said for x amount of money I know these people you can get your phone back," Dewolf said.
So Troy police set up a sting near 2nd Avenue and Ida Street. Dewolf says that's when officers spotted Bridges, who was arrested for robbery and criminal possession of stolen property.
"Even though he's been arrested there are still two other people out there that haven't been arrested and there have been couple more incidences with this similar type of MO," said Dewolf.
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