Think Twice Before Posting An Ad

By Lori Fullbright, News On 6

TULSA, OK - Here is a warning before you post an ad to buy or sell anything. Two men were beaten and robbed after one of them placed an ad, looking to buy junk cars.

These men are 66 and 77-years-old; it wasn't a fair fight from the beginning.  It was four against two and it started with a sucker punch. It was a cowardly and cruel crime, but thankfully, both men survived.

T.C. Knight runs a tow truck service and also buys junk cars that he either sells for scrap or fixes up. He has a 77-year-old friend named Jesse who rides with him. T.C. recently got a call about a car for sale, so he and Jesse went to have a look.

"I said, sir, do you have any papers on it. He said it's in the car. I said okay and reached out and grabbed the door handle and about that time that I grabbed the door handle, boom, he nailed me in the jaw," said Knight.

T.C. says the man knocked him to the ground while another man took his wallet and the gold eagle necklace he always wears around his neck. He says it's worth hundreds of dollars.

Two other men also jumped Jesse.

"He was bleeding out of both ears real bad. He's got hearing aids in both ears and they busted one and rove it inside his head, had to pull it out with tweezers," said Knight.

Police believe the men saw the ad, found an old car and called. It's not uncommon for criminals to use ads to commit crimes, but generally they go after people who are selling and, mostly they rob, but some cases are worse.

Laci Hill was kidnapped and murdered in 1999 after she and her husband placed an ad to sell a pool table.

Denise Palmer was raped and strangled after placing an ad to sell her wedding dress in 1981.

T.C. knows he and Jesse were lucky and he plans to carry a gun from now on.

"We'll be more careful. Been doing this six to eight years and this is the first time I've been robbed, guess we're doing good," said Knight.

If you place an ad, don't use your home phone number and if it's an item that can be moved, don't have anyone come to your own, but instead meet them at a busy public place. If it's too large to move, the more people you can have with you the better and have a plan if something goes wrong.