ANNANDALE, Virginia — Two men were arrested in Fairfax County after police say they arranged to meet with a woman they met online to sell her a car and ended up robbing her.
On June 25, officers responded to an armed robbery in the 4300 block of Americana Drive in Annandale.
At the scene, officers discovered the victim who had suffered multiple lacerations to her head.
An investigation determined that the victim had agreed to meet the suspects in-person via Instagram to purchase a car for cash.
Police say the victim in this case was picked up by a ride-share driver and driven to the location of the car for sale.
When she arrived, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and repeatedly struck her in the head with it.
Investigators claims the other suspect helped grab the victim's purse, before both suspects fled in a car.
Police say they don't believe the ride-share driver was involved.
The victim was transported to the hospital and treated for injuries to her head.
Detectives have identified and charged Zair Davis, 20, of Woodbridge, and Forootan Samiei, 23, of Oakton, with the robbery and malicious wounding assault. Both are being held without a bond.
Davis and Samiei were tracked down by police to a location in Lorton. Detectives took both men into custody.
Following the arrest, detectives recovered multiple handguns and additional evidence of the robbery.
The Fairfax County Police Department has some basic safety tips when buying and selling from online marketplaces.
- Do not go to a transaction alone. If you must go alone, make sure a friend or family member is aware of the transaction details.
- Whenever possible, complete the transaction during daylight hours.
- Be extra cautious when buying or selling valuable items such as collectible shoes, jewelry, and vehicles.
- Insist on meeting in a public area like a safe exchange zone or, at minimum, use a well-lit public parking lot with video surveillance.
- Do not carry large amounts of cash when making a transaction.
- Several of our district stations have safe exchange zones for online purchases.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call 703-246-7800, option 5. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone at 866-411-8477 and by web.
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