Police are searching for four men they say robbed a mother and her daughter in Great Neck - getting away with multiple items, including a pocketbook worth thousands of dollars.
Police say a 45-year-old woman was in contact with an Asian male on the WeChat app to arrange the sale of a Hermes Birkin bag for $35,000.
When the 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old daughter arrived at the home on Bellingham Lane, police say a dark-colored SUV pulled up, and four men got out of the car, demanding her to hand over the purse, cellphones, jewelry and cash.
Afterward, police say the 17-year-old daughter was forced out of the car, and the suspects pepper sprayed both the mom and daughter in the face.
All four suspects sped off in the SUV.
Nassau County Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun urges residents who are trying to sell something to find a safe place to arrange their transaction.
"We always recommend that the buyer or sell go to an exchange zone that is well-lit and well-populated," LeBrun says.
LeBrun also says that those who are meeting a stranger to exchange goods should let their friends and family know where they are going. He says locations with security video or a security guard are also safer options.
The victims were taken to the hospital but are expected to be OK.
The suspects are described as two Asian males and two Black males. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police.