Police: Man used 'bait-and-switch' to steal Rolex watch

A 25-year-old man is behind bars at the Lake County jail after being accused of what Vernon Hills police called the "bait-and-switch" theft of a Rolex watch last month.

Cristian Daniel Constantinescu, address unknown, faces a felony theft charge stemming from the allegations, which surfaced after a deal arranged online went sour for the watch's seller.

According to police, a man using the online site OfferUp agreed to sell the watch to Constantinescu for $5,500. They met Oct. 15 at Hawthorn Mall to complete the transaction, police said.

During the exchange, police said, Constantinescu handed the seller the money for the watch, but then offered to put it in an envelope for him. When the two went their separate ways and the seller checked the envelope, he discovered it contained only $150, mostly in singles, according to police.

On Oct. 24, police said they learned Constantinescu was possibly going to conduct another transaction in an undisclosed Western suburb. With the assistance of police there, Vernon Hills police arrested Constantinescu.

He is in custody on $250,000 bail, with a court appearance scheduled for today. The charge against him is punishable by a maximum two to five years in prison.

Vernon Hills police said the case is a reminder that people should be cautious when conducting internet-related transactions, and that the village's police department is open 24 hours a day to conduct deals arranged online.