Fake designer purse sale leads to fake gun robbery at Penngrove home

A 16-year-old selling a fake designer purse was robbed by his buyer, a 19-year-old with a fake gun, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Monday.

The seller set up the purchase Saturday with an online client through “Let Go” online sales app. The seller was touting the purse as legit, asking $300 for what was really a $20 imitation Louis Vuitton handbag, Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum said Monday.

The two settled on $250 and met late Saturday at the victim’s Penngrove home. But instead of a sale, the teen got a handgun jammed into his stomach and the suspect took off with the purse.

The victim reported the crime and gave a description of the armed robber, including that he’d worn distinctive Air Jordan shoes and used the name Jake Jennings, Crum said.

A deputy Sunday went on the Let Go app and began a conversation with a “Jake Jennings,” asking to buy some Air Jordan shoes, Crum said. They set up a midnight meeting in Windsor, which led to the arrest of Austin McClure, 19, and a 16-year-old teen, both of Santa Rosa.

The 16-year-old with McClure had a fake designer purse deputies suspected was from Saturday’s robbery.

Inside the teens’ car deputies found a black pellet gun that looked real, and McClure was wearing shoes described from the robbery, Crum said.

The two were arrested on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy. McClure remained at the Sonoma County Jail Monday morning in lieu of $100,000 bail.

The teen was taken to?Sonoma County’s juvenile detention facility.

Further investigation determined they are suspects in other recent robberies involving purchases set up through online connections, Crum said. No details of those cases were released.

Crum asked anyone with information to contact detectives at 707-521-2185.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.