Supposed Craiglist Car Seller Robs Would-Be Buyer

Two Fort Worth brothers trying to buy car robbed at gunpoint

A Fort Worth man trying to buy a used car advertised on Craigslist lost $1,500 Wednesday night when he was robbed at gunpoint.

Randy McClendon, 24, said he thought he had found the perfect car -- a 1996 Buick Park Avenue.

McClendon and his brother met the supposed sellers and even took the car on a test drive.

"It drove pretty good -- real smooth, you know," he said.

The "seller" lured McClendon and his brother to the back of an apartment complex in the 3500 block of South Riverside Drive by claiming his grandmother had the car's title.

McClendon brought $1,500 in cash to buy the vehicle.

"I thought I was going to get me a nice car like I wanted to," he said. "But it turned out to be a disaster, a nightmare."

In a dark parking lot, McClendon and his brother suddenly found themselves looking down the barrel of a pistol.

"He told me, 'Get on the ground with your brother. Don't move or I will shoot. I will shoot,'" he said.

McClendon said he thought the bandit was going to shoot him.

"I thought I was going to be gone right then and there," he said.

Robbery detectives are investigating.

McClendon said he learned an expensive lesson.

"No more Craigslist shopping for me," he said. "If I'm going to get a car, it's going to be legit and make sure it's going to be right."

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