Theft Victim Sets Trap, Captures Thief: Police

EVERETT, WA - The victim of a recent car theft setup his own sting operation to get back his pilfered property, arranging to meet up with the prospective seller of his stolen goods in a Safeway parking lot. When the seller arrived, however, the victim and his friends confronted him and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Trevor J. Roberts, 28, was taken to Snohomish County Jail following his proper arrest by Everett police on Wednesday. He is facing one count of trafficking stolen property.

According to court documents obtained by Patch, the unidentified victim said his truck was recently stolen in Seattle along with a large assortment of tools. After filing a report with Seattle police, the victim came upon adverts for his stolen property on OfferUp, an online classified sales app.

After contacting the seller, the victim surreptitiously arranged to meet around 10:30 a.m. Feb. 27 at 11301 19th Ave. SE. When Roberts and a man he identified as "Joseph Braum" arrived at the meeting place with the stolen tools, however, the victim and three of his friends confronted Roberts.

The man called Braum reportedly fled after learning the victim and the buyer were the same person. Roberts was stuck, though, because the victim's friends pulled a gun and ordered Roberts to the ground.

When officers arrived to enact an official arrest, Roberts was still being held at gunpoint and he had a bloody nose.

Speaking with police, Roberts said it was Braum who drove him to the meeting in what officers later learned was a stolen car, adding, "I knew that stuff was stolen, but I didn't take it. That's why I didn't try to run."

Speaking with KIRO7 on Friday, Everett police spokesman Aaron Snell strongly advised residents against vigilanteism.

"You never know how these might turn out," he warned. "Fortunately for this one, nobody was injured, but you never know if the other person has a knife, a gun or those types of things — or what's going to be used."

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