Detectives with the Urbana Police Department have made two arrests in connection with an ongoing investigation into a series of robberies and thefts from persons that have occurred over the past several months.
The investigation began after multiple victims reported being targeted while attempting to sell iPhones through Facebook Marketplace. In each case, suspects contacted the sellers through the social media platform and arranged to meet in the 2400 block of Prairie Green in Urbana.
During the meetings, the suspects either asked to inspect the phones before fleeing on foot with the devices or grabbed the phones directly from the victims' hands and ran away. As the investigation progressed, detectives identified a residence in the 2400 block of East Washington Street as a location connected to the suspects' flight following several of the incidents.
On June 25, 2026, Urbana detectives conducted an undercover operation by arranging the sale of an iPhone through Facebook Marketplace. An undercover officer met with a suspect in the 2400 block of Prairie Green. Consistent with the pattern established in previous incidents, the suspect asked to examine the phone before fleeing on foot toward the residence in the 2400 block of East Washington Avenue. With assistance from the METRO SWAT Team and the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force, detectives executed a search warrant at the residence.
A 16-year-old juvenile was taken into custody in connection with the robbery investigation. During the execution of the search warrant, detectives recovered property that is being processed and analyzed to determine whether it is linked to other reported robberies and thefts from people. In addition, detectives arrested 18-year-old Deandre Mosley for Possession of Stolen Property.
The investigation remains active, and detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone who believes they may have been targeted in a similar incident or who has information related to these cases is encouraged to contact the Urbana Police Department. The Urbana Police Department reminds community members to use the designated Online Safe Exchange Zone located on the east side of Urbana City Hall when conducting transactions arranged through online marketplaces. The area is monitored and was established to provide a safer location for buying and selling items.
As with all criminal cases, all individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Anyone with information on these crimes is encouraged to contact the Urbana Police Department
or submit an anonymous tip through Champaign County Crime Stoppers. Urbana Police ask that anyone with additional information please call 217-384-2320. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at 217-373-TIPS (217-373-8477); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Community members are reminded that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tip information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers, and conversations are not recorded. Crime Stoppers will pay cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case, $2,500 for tips leading to an arrest in a felony crime involving a firearm, and up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any other crime.