Good Samaritan who helped thwart attempted Facebook Marketplace robbery urges public to be careful

One of  two Good Samaritans who intervened in an attempted robbery stemming from a Facebook Marketplace sale on Boxing Day is speaking out, urging people to be careful when they meet up to buy or sell goods.

Meraj Ahmed, an international student from Bangladesh who works part time for a food delivery service, recounted the incident that resulted in a sliced tendon in his hand.

Ahmed says he was leaving a building in Olympic Village on Tuesday after completing a delivery when he saw a man who appeared to have been pepper-sprayed calling for help. 

He said he saw a second person carrying what he described as a "computer device" trying to escape by getting in a vehicle. 

"He could do the same thing again so I thought that we need to stop him," he said. 

Ahmed said he and another bystander — also a delivery driver — tried to trap the man. 

The man managed to escape, stabbing both Ahmed and the other bystander. 

Ahmed said at first he didn't notice he was injured and chased the man, got him on the ground and sat on his back to keep him in place. 

He said police showed up within minutes and arrested the man. Shortly afterward, Ahmed realized he had been seriously hurt. 

"It was so much shock," said Ahmed. "It was a really [upsetting] moment for me." 

Ahmed said he is recovering well from surgery, but needs therapy to get full mobility back in his fingers. He hopes his wife and three-year-old daughter can visit him from Bangladesh.

He hopes people will learn from the incident, noting the importance of meeting up in a public place with plenty of witnesses when buying or selling items. 

"Canada is a very peaceful country, this kind of incident could happen anywhere in the world. It's unfortunate." 

Vancouver police and Mayor Ken Sim thanked the bystanders who jumped in to help.

The suspect, a 21-year-old male, is now charged with robbery and assault causing bodily harm. 

'Concerning trend'

Sgt. Steve Addison with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) again praised the two bystanders on Sunday.

"Without their brave actions, without their decisive actions, this suspect would almost certainly have gotten away and there could be other potential victims out there," he said. 

Addison is warning the public to use caution when completing online transactions in person.

"It's a very concerning trend that we are seeing, people need to be aware of the risks that are inherent when they're meeting up with somebody that they don't know," he said. 

Addison says they have responded to incidents of people being robbed, bear-sprayed and, in this case, stabbed. 

Police have also received reports of scams and stolen goods posted on Facebook Marketplace, the social network's selling platform, as well as sites like Craigslist and Kijiji.

He recommends people looking to complete Facebook or Craigslist transactions should meet up in a well-lit and high-traffic location. Several Lower Mainland police departments, including the VPD, have set up safe-exchange locations with video surveillance outside their detachments. 

"Trust your gut. If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is," Addison said. 

He added anyone witnessing a crime in progress should call 911 immediately.