Pierce County prosecutors have charged a 24-year-old woman after she allegedly stole two cellphones that the victims had advertised for sale on Craigslist.
The victims had arranged to meet Victoria Eric Avila Cruz after she contacted them about their online ads, according to court records. She stole the phones and Maced one of the victims, prosecutors said.
Charging documents gave this account:
The first robbery occurred Sept. 28 when the victim and Avila Cruz met at a restaurant near the 800 block of Division Avenue in Tacoma. The victim was selling an iPhone.
Avila Cruz started to act suspicious and left the restaurant. When she returned, she grabbed the phone, used pepper spray on the victim and ran away.
The second robbery took place Oct. 3 when the victim and his mother met Avila Cruz at a restaurant in the 8800 block of Pacific Avenue. Avila Cruz again ran away with the victim’s phone, but not before his mother got a photo of her.
The victim ran after Avila Cruz, but was stopped by a man who had one hand deep in his pocket as if holding a gun. The victim ran back to his car and the other man ran in the direction of Avila Cruz.
Officers identified Avila Cruz as the suspected robber and both victims picked her out of a photo montage. When contacted, Avila Cruz denied stealing the phones, though officers found a container of pepper spray and a cellphone on her.
The man from the second robbery contacted investigators and identified himself as Avila Cruz’s 28-year-old boyfriend, Matthew Holland. He was released after talking with detectives.
Prosecutors charged Avila Cruz and Holland with first-degree and second-degree robbery on Wednesday. She was arraigned on the charges and ordered held in lieu of $150,000 bail. A warrant was issued for Holland’s arrest.
Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268
stacey.mulick @thenewstribune.com
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