Online Car Sales Turn Violent: Suspect Arrested in Back-to-Back Robberies

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UTICA, NY — What began as routine online car sales quickly turned dangerous, as Utica Police responded to multiple robbery reports on June 24th and 25th, 2025, involving a suspect accused of using a handgun to steal vehicles from unsuspecting sellers.

According to investigators, the suspect arranged to meet with victims through an online marketplace under the pretense of buying their vehicles. But when the sellers showed up, what seemed like a typical transaction took a threatening turn. In both cases, the suspect pulled a handgun and demanded the vehicle keys, forcing victims to surrender their cars under threat of harm.

During the first incident on June 24th, the stolen vehicle was later found abandoned after it crashed into two other cars on the 1400 block of Steuben Street. Despite the crash, the suspect managed to flee.

Then, on the evening of June 25th around 7:30 PM, a nearly identical robbery occurred. This time, the suspect once again fled in a stolen car after threatening the seller.

Thanks to consistent details, including the same online alias used in both setups and surveillance footage from the crime scenes, investigators were able to identify a suspect. On June 27th, 29-year-old Robert Collins was located and apprehended by Utica Police and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Units.

Collins was transported to the Utica Police Department, where he was formally charged with:

• Robbery in the Second Degree (two counts)