By GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — Social media led to an unarmed robbery arrest on Tuesday.
Police responded to Valley Avenue at about 4:30 p.m. to meet a 16-year-old Lynn male who had been robbed outside there. The victim told police he had been punched in the face, thrown to the ground and robbed of his backpack and items from his pocket. He refused medical attention and said there were two men involved in the robbery, Lynn Police Lt. Rick Donnelly said.
Taken from the victim was a blue North Face backpack, $80 in cash and about seven grams of weed from his pocket. The victim told officers he was on his way home, when two suspects approached him from outside a vacant apartment building. He told police he knew one of them, by the name of Timothy, and that he was going to look him up through his Facebook account. He went on his phone and showed police a picture of Timothy Taylor, 18, of Lynn, who officers were able to identify, Donnelly said.
Police went to Rantoul Avenue, spoke with Taylor’s parents, but the suspect wasn’t there. Later that night, different officers were approached by Taylor, who told them he wanted to turn himself in, Donnelly said.
Taylor was arrested and charged with unarmed robbery. The incident is under investigation and the second suspect is described as a light-skinned man between the ages of 18 and 22.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.