Person robbed in Buffalo Grove Town Center parking lot

A person was robbed Sunday night while trying to buy an iPhone from someone he’d contacted through Craigslist in northwest suburban Buffalo Grove.

The victim told investigators he’d answered a Craigslist ad to buy an iPhone 8 and met the seller about 9:30 p.m. in the Buffalo Grove Town Center parking lot at Lake Cook and McHenry roads, according to a statement from Buffalo Grove police.

The victim parked his vehicle next to a Toyota Highlander SUV, police said. Two men got out of the Highlander and into the victim’s vehicle, while the male driver and front-seat passenger remained in the Highlander.

One of the men put what the victim believed was a gun to the back of the victim’s neck while the other suspect demanded his property and started searching the vehicle for valuables, police said. The suspects took the victim’s iPhone 7 before they got back into the Highlander, which drove away south toward Lake Cook Road.

The first suspect who entered the victim’s vehicle was described as a white man, about 30 years old, with a goatee and short hair, police said. He was wearing a dark-colored jacket and gloves.

The other suspect, who threatened the victim with a weapon, was described as an African-American or Hispanic man, in his early to mid-20s, police said. He had a curly mustache and was wearing gloves, a hat and a hooded sweatshirt with a blue triangle pattern on it.

The driver and passenger who stayed in the Highlander were described as white males of unknown ages, police said. The Highlander was silver, bronze or beige.

Police said members of the public are free to use the police department’s parking lot or lobby – both of which are under video surveillance – as a “Safe Exchange Zone” for internet sales. Officers will also observe transactions if requested.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call (847) 459-2560.