Crime & Safety

Craigslist Robber Took Cellphones at Knifepoint, Police Say

Scott Phillip Liedel, 21, is arrested about a day and a half after leaving jail on separate charges.

A man who allegedly robbed two Orange County residents of their cellphones at knifepoint Wednesday afternoon was jailed on suspicion of robbery, authorities said.

Scott Phillip Liedel, 21, was arrested at about 7 p.m. Wednesday in Foothill Ranch shortly after police received calls about two separate but similar robberies, according to sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino.

Accoring to police, Liedel responded to two messages on Craigslist from people looking to sell their cellphones and arranged to meet Wednesday with the prospective sellers.

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One, an Irvine man, met Liedel at the Foothill Ranch Library at 5 p.m. There, police said, Liedel asked to inspect the phone and while holding it, drew a "large knife" and robbed the man, Amormino said.

About 30 minutes later, Liedel met in a residential area of Mission Viejo with the other Craigslist poster and again, police said, allegedly threatened him with a knife and stole his cellphone.

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Police tracked Liedel to his girlfriend's house in Foothill Ranch where he was arrested that evening.

Before his arrest Wednesday evening, Liedel had only been out of jail for about 36 hours on separate vandalism charges to which he has pleaded not guilty, online court and jail records show.


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