Man Arrested for Jewelry Theft After Marketplace Meetups

Elijah McLean, 21, was arrested in Greenville on Tuesday, facing serious charges related to a series of alleged jewelry thefts. Police connected McLean to three separate incidents where he purportedly used Facebook Marketplace to set up meetups with individuals selling jewelry.

During these arranged meetings, McLean allegedly posed as a buyer. According to investigators, once he had possession of the jewelry, he either fled or distracted the sellers to take the items. He has been charged with three counts of larceny, two counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, and two counts of attempting to obtain property under false pretenses. McLean was held on a $45,000 secured bond.

In response to these incidents, Greenville Police have established three monitored internet exchange zones to provide safer locations for online sales. These zones are equipped with cameras and are available for public use. Sellers are advised to collect and preserve all transaction details, including buyer profiles and any available surveillance footage, to aid investigations.