Aurora teen charged with robbery during internet sale exchange

A 13-year-old Aurora boy accused of robbing a mother and her son at gunpoint during the exchange of an online sale is in custody, police said Wednesday.

The boy met the mother and her son about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13 in the area of Randall Road and North Glen Court after arranging to sell athletic shoes over a social media app, police said in a Facebook post.

While the mother was holding money in her hand, the boy grabbed the cash and pulled out a handgun, police said. The boy demanded the shoes and the mother's purse, but he ran away without the possessions when she screamed at a passing car for help, police said.

An Aurora detective heard reports of the robbery on his police radio and thought the description of the suspect could be the same boy with whom he's had several interactions, police said. The detective also knew the boy lived in the same general area as the robbery, police said.

After responding to the scene, the detective confirmed his suspicions when speaking with the mother and her son, police said.

The boy turned himself in to law enforcement the next day, police said. He has been charged with armed robbery and two counts of attempted robbery, authorities said.

Aurora police said the crime is another reminder to use a designated area at the police headquarters to conduct internet-based transactions.

"If one of the parties doesn't want to meet at the police department to buy or sell an item, they may not be who they're purporting to be," police said in the Facebook post.