Wichita man arrested after allegedly robbing person at gunpoint during Facebook sale

A 20-year-old Wichita man has been arrested after an east Wichita incident where he allegedly robbed a person of money at gunpoint during a transaction arranged over Facebook, police said.

Brannen Ratliff was arrested on suspicion of aggravated robbery.

Police responded to a reported robbery around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the 8800 block of East Harry.

“After contacting the victim, officers learned that a suspect had advertised a phone for sale on Facebook and arranged to meet the victim in the parking lot of that location,” Wichita police spokesperson Trevor Macy said in a news release. “Once the suspect and victim met, the suspect used a firearm to rob the victim of cash and then fled into a nearby apartment …Officers located the suspect in the apartment and arrested him.”

Police offered several tips to protect people from being victims of robberies during social media sales:

• Discuss transaction details before meeting: Know where you’re meeting, when you’re meeting and to how to keep in contact.

• Meet in a public place: This should be during the day in a busy area. Police substations are possible locations.

• Consider bringing a friend: This can help decrease the chances that one of the parties will rob the other. It also provides a witness if something does happen.

• Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t go or leave.

• Don’t give out personal information