Police continue investigation of alleged drug deal gone bad
North Franklin Township police are investigating what apparently was an attempt to rip off an alleged drug dealer that went bad last week.
Police were initially called April 21 to the area of Baltimore and Cumberland avenues for a report of a robbery and assault. A 17-year-old Washington girl and 16-year-old Canton Township girl told police a man tried to rob them.
When police arrived, they found a group of people walking along a grassy area near the railroad tracks looking for the keys of the car driven by the 17-year-old.
The girls told police they were going to a house on Cumberland to meet the 17-year-old’s boyfriend when they were stopped in a nearby parking lot by a man who offered to sell them marijuana. After they declined, they said he tried to get them to go with him and have a drink at a bar.
When the 17-year-old girl pulled away, she said the man started running alongside the car and then struck it. She told police she panicked and stopped, and the man jumped into the back seat. She said he grabbed a roll of money but was angry it only contained $3. The teen said the man then grabbed the 16-year-old around the throat before snatching one of the girls’ cellphones and ripping the keys from the ignition.
Police said people at the scene were disputing that story.
The 16-year-old came to the police station later that week with her mother and admitted she and the other girl, along with three friends, conspired to rip off a drug dealer. They made arrangements to purchase marijuana from an alleged dealer. The three other friends got out of the vehicle, and the girls went to meet the dealer.
When they handed him money wrapped around receipts in exchange for marijuana, he reportedly became angry, choked the 16-year-old and yanked the keys out of the ignition of the car.
Police are continuing their investigation, and charges are pending.