Date met online helped rob N.L. man of money and car, police say

RCMP say a Newfoundland man who was robbed after meeting a woman he had met online was set up.

The man from Winteron travelled to nearby Carbonear for what police described as a "first date-type situation." While he and the woman were in his car in a park, they were approached by three males, armed with a weapon, who forcibly took his vehicle and cash.

Police believe the woman, two men, and a male youth planned to rob the 26-year-old victim during the date early Tuesday morning, and take his vehicle.

According to police, the woman was originally considered a victim, but subsequent investigation led officers to believe she helped co-ordinate the robbery with the three males.

"They had arranged to meet at a specific location, or for the victim to be at a specific location," said Cpl. Brent Hillier, a spokesperson for the Harbour Grace RCMP detachment.

"We believe, at this point, it was a setup. And the group had conspired to commit this offence prior to."

Tracking texts

The woman remained in the vehicle during the robbery.

When the victim called police to report the incident at about 1 a.m. on Tuesday, the RCMP say they originally believed the woman was the victim of a kidnapping.

The woman continued to text message the 26-year-old man, and police say she was acting as if she had been taken against her will.

Hillier says police were following the conversation and there were some "irregularities" in the messages that led officers to believe all was not as it appeared.

Police continued to text the woman in order to keep a cell signal alive, and they eventually used that to track down the stolen vehicle and the robbery suspects about 20 kilometres away.

"We were able to successfully ping a cellphone that was currently in the car," Hillier said.

It's not something that normally occurs around here, it's not something that he expected.- Cpl. Brent Hillier

The victim was not injured but he was shaken up, police said.

"Very upset, very distraught over the whole situation," Hillier said. "It's not something that normally occurs around here, it's not something that he expected."

4 people face charges

Four suspects have been charged in connection with the robbery — a 30-year-old woman, a 33-year-old man, an 18-year-old man, and a 15-year-old boy. Police said all four live on the same street and know each other. The teen is the nephew of one of the accused men.

Charges they face include armed robbery, extortion, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. The accused are expected to appear in Harbour Grace provincial court on Thursday.  

Police said they are also considering conspiracy charges.

​"We've never had something where a group have gotten together to do such a thing," Hillier said.