Robbers arrested in 'Offer Up' operation in Gary

Two men have been charged after robbing an undercover Gary police officer Thursday in Northwest Indiana.

Deandre Gardner, 18, and Melquan Travis, 17, both Gary residents, have been charged with armed robbery, robbery resulting in bodily injury and attempted armed robbery, according to a statement from the Gary Police Department.

Gardner and Travis, who is being charged as an adult, will face a criminal gang sentencing enhancement, the statement said.

As part of an undercover operation, a Gary Police Department detective used a phone app called “Offer Up” to establish a meeting point with the two men, who then robbed him at gun point, the statement said.

Travis and Gardner ran when police arrived, but officers eventually caught them. Officers recovered the pre-marked currency and car keys the men stole from the detective, as well as two guns.

The two men have been identified as belonging to the Get Fresh Boys as part of the Gary for Life initiative, the statement said.