Craig Forchetti was selling a 3 carat diamond ring on the online classified site. He got a response from Corey Jackson, 21, who agreed to pay $15,000 for the gem. They planned to meet at 30th Street Station.
"He didn't look like a threat. He looked like a clean-cut college kid," Forchetti said. "He told me he wanted the ring. He had $10,000 on him in the bag. He said we need to go to his mother's house on St. Bernard to get the rest of the money."
When they arrived there, Forchetti says Jackson maced him and took off.
Several months went by and Forchetti decided to take matters into his own hands. He began calling people selling jewelry on Craigslist and warned them to look out for Jackson.
"I get a call from one of my stings and he says 'A guy just called me and it sounds like your guy,'" Forchetti said.
Forchetti, using a fake voice, talked to Jackson agreed to meet at an Acme Store on City Avenue. What Jackson didn't know was that Forchetti had called police and they were ready to pounce.
"Corey just looked at me and said 'Yeah, I know' and he admitted it," Forchetti said.
Forchetti still doesn't have his ring, valued at nearly $20,000. He's hoping whoever purchased it will recognize it and call police. But, he has the satisfaction from turning the tables on his armed robber.
"It's a great feeling," Forchetti said.
Police say Jackson is responsible for a similar crime in Bethlehem. They are hoping anyone else who has been victimized by Jackson will come forward.
