Robbers in NYC Are Using Facebook to Steal Yeezys

If you live in New York City and are itching to sell your Yeezys, you're at risk of falling victim to thieves. A devious duo is searching Facebook to find people selling the popular sneakers and then robbing them at gunpoint when they meet up in person.

Since their release, Yeezy Boost 350s have been notoriously difficult to purchase. Some people line up for days — literally — to snatch up a pair of Kanye West's notorious creation, while others prep for online sales that sell out in seconds.

People are so desperate to buy a pair that they'll purchase them from anywhere, often resulting in shady sales and buyers ending up with fake Yeezys. It may seem that buying the shoes on Facebook from a reliable seller is one of the smarter ways to purchase the sneakers, but recent robberies have New Yorkers changing their minds.

NYPD reported that the duo responsible for the crime follows the same process for each robbery. They search Facebook for people selling Yeezys, tell the seller that they're interested in purchasing the shoes, and then meet up in person under the pretense that they'll be buying them. However, what actually happens is that they pull out a gun and demand the shoes, walking away with them for free. This has occurred at least six times already, including an incident in which they robbed a 16-year-old. While they have never fired the gun, in one instance they punched a seller in the face.

NYPD released a video of the thieves so the public can familiarize themselves with their faces.

Let's hope they're caught soon before they rob anyone else. Although this crime seems fairly mild since they haven't seriously harmed anyone, it's a pretty big deal in the eyes of the law. Threatening people with a gun while stealing their property is considered Robbery in the First Degree. In New York, this is punishable by five to twenty-five years in prison if they're found guilty.

We'll closely watch this case to see if there are any updates. For now, we all should take this as a reminder to be cautious who we're selling things to on Facebook.