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Midtown resident robbed at gunpoint after online meetup goes awry

Original post made on Apr 7, 2022

A Midtown resident who invited a woman he met online into his home early Thursday morning was robbed at gunpoint minutes later by a man believed to be her accomplice, Palo Alto police said.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, April 7, 2022, 1:22 PM

Comments (9)

Posted by Bystander
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Apr 7, 2022 at 1:31 pm

Bystander is a registered user.

Do people actually invite someone they have just met on the internet into their home? Do people actually go into the home of someone they have just met on the internet?

This shows exactly why not!


Posted by Donald
a resident of South of Midtown
on Apr 7, 2022 at 2:52 pm

Donald is a registered user.

They swiped and left. The victim should have swiped left.


Posted by Mondoman
a resident of Green Acres
on Apr 7, 2022 at 3:48 pm

Mondoman is a registered user.

This may have been a case of purchasing "services" or "goods" online for delivery *in* the home.


Posted by Hulkamania
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Apr 7, 2022 at 4:29 pm

Hulkamania is a registered user.

The old way of meeting someone is better. In a bar, face to face, drunk. Today, of course, you need to be wary of someone spiking your drink.


Posted by Jennifer
a resident of another community
on Apr 7, 2022 at 6:47 pm

Jennifer is a registered user.

Unless he hired a "lady of the night" a woman willing to show up at 1:00 a.m. on a weeknight at a stranger's home -- someone she met on the internet is a red flag. An envelope with several thousand dollars cash? Was that the "fee," or does he leave that much cash in the home?


Posted by NeilsonBuchanan
a resident of Downtown North
on Apr 8, 2022 at 10:41 am

NeilsonBuchanan is a registered user.

This outcome was well within the range of possibilities. Thankfully no physical harm except bruised egos? According to the internet, there is an 400+ year old saying that " A fool and his money are soon parted."


Posted by Annette
a resident of College Terrace
on Apr 8, 2022 at 11:17 am

Annette is a registered user.

This is one of those stories that causes whiplash. Why not suffer the loss in silence instead of exposing yourself as having done the inexplicable?


Posted by jhskrh
a resident of Community Center
on Apr 8, 2022 at 12:51 pm

jhskrh is a registered user.

Seriously now, "a man met a woman online and invited her to his home at about 1 a.m" Do you think they were planning to watch a movie? To discuss politics? I feel no sympathy for this guy, no repercussions for him, but the woman will do time if caught, even though she is the real victim (and likely will do much more time than Lizzy Holmes) And then there's this "Police believe the armed man and the woman were working in concert" Now that is some serious sleuthing. Book em Danno!


Posted by MyFeelz
a resident of another community
on Apr 10, 2022 at 4:05 pm

MyFeelz is a registered user.

I think, though I'm not sure, if you get robbed at home your homeowner's insurance will cover you, but you have to submit a police report to get reimbursed for your losses. If that's the case, I'm not even sure if the insurance will cover you because you invited the "guest" into your home. Either way you have to file a police report to start your claim. As for an envelope just sitting around for the crook to see it and grab it, is unlikely. But a prostitute would definitely want to see that you are ready to pay for the service you asked for. I'm sure the complainant is fully cooperating with the police and turned over the online communications file to explain why he invited someone to come to his house at 1 AM.


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