An armed robbery of a $700 pair of shoes in Silver Spring earlier this week has led county police to reiterate the importance of using designated “safe exchange zones” when buying and selling items with strangers.
A 24-year-old Washington, D.C., man has been charged with brandishing a firearm and stealing a pair of Christian Louboutin Louis Orlato shoes from a person he arranged to meet at a busy intersection, Georgia Avenue and East West Highway, county police said.
Davon Alfred Moore is accused of stealing the shoes after he and the victim made arrangements online to meet and complete the sale, county police said.
Montgomery County set up exchange zones in police station lobbies or parking lots in early 2017 as online person-to-person transaction sites grew more popular. The areas aren’t constantly monitored by police, but are well-lit and there is frequent foot traffic through each area which helps deter criminal activity, Sgt. Rebecca Innocenti, a police spokeswoman, said Friday.
Buyers and sellers are also encouraged to take a relative or friend when meeting a stranger or tell a friend when and where the exchange is to occur.
Moore was charged with armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and theft between $100 and $1,500. He was released Wednesday after posting a $5,000 bond and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18 in Rockville District Court.
Attorney information for Moore was not available in online court records.
The Christian Louboutin high-top shoes are listed online for up to $1,300.
