DeSoto PD search for armed robber targeting online sellers

Police are looking for an armed robber who finds his victims through sites like Craigslist.

DeSoto police said the suspect has done it four times in their city, and probably in other cities too.

Matthew Frazier, 23, is responsible for three thefts and one robbery in DeSoto and likely other cities as well.

Nelly Lopez was one of Frazier’s victims. She said despite a series of what she felt like were red flags, last week she her husband and two children drove to DeSoto to sell a MacBook air to who they thought was an elderly woman.

DeSoto police’s Chris Huerta said Frazier has posed as a woman on some of the sale apps. Investigators fear someone may get hurt if Frazier isn’t caught soon.

“Over the course of our investigation he pulled a semiautomatic weapon and robbed one of our victims,” Huerta said.

DeSoto police said because of the popularity of online sales through different apps, they’ve opted to place a safe location in the front of the DeSoto police building that is well lit and has high resolution cameras.

Lopez said if she makes another sale to a stranger online it will be at a place like that.