A Facebook Marketplace sale outside a Fontana Raising Cane's turned into a robbery late last month, when a 16-year-old suspect allegedly snatched an $8,000 gold chain off a table and bolted before officers later located the getaway vehicle and arrested him and 30-year-old Keewann Willis.
The Fontana Police Department responded to the reported robbery in the Raising Cane's parking lot in the 16900 block of Highland Avenue at approximately 6:58 p.m. on August 27, according to a report from the Fontana Herald News. The victim had arranged the sale of the gold necklace through Facebook Marketplace, and per the victim's account, the teen allegedly grabbed the chain from a table during the transaction before fleeing on foot. The chain was on a table during the transaction, and the teen allegedly grabbed it before fleeing on foot.
According to the same report, the teen then left the area in a Nissan Altima. Officers located that vehicle near Palmetto and Baseline avenues, occupied by 30-year-old Keewann Willis. Evidence tied to the investigation was found in Willis's possession, and officers arrested him at the scene.
Search Warrant Leads Police to a Second Address
Investigators then served a search warrant at a residence in the 16900 block of San Jacinto Avenue. The 16-year-old suspect fled that residence but was ultimately taken into custody without incident, the report notes. Fontana police recovered the gold chain and returned it to the victim.
Willis was booked at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department facility with a bed capacity of 3,347 that processes between 50,000 and 60,000 bookings annually, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The 16-year-old was booked at the San Bernardino County Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center at 900 E. Gilbert Street in San Bernardino, which has an operational capacity of up to 260 youth, per the Downtown LA Law Group.
What the Suspects Could Face Under California Law
Under California Penal Code Section 211, robbery is defined as taking personal property from someone's immediate presence against their will by force or fear, a felony punishable by up to five or nine years in state prison and counted as a strike under the state's Three Strikes law, according to Kann Law Office. That charge carries the penalties described above.
Because an adult allegedly acted alongside a minor in the scheme, additional legal exposure could come into play. Under California Penal Code Section 272, an adult who induces, encourages, or uses a minor under 18 to commit a criminal offense can face separate charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, carrying penalties of up to one year in county jail, according to Cron Israels and Stark.
A Pattern of Marketplace Meetups Turning Violent
This is not the first time an online sales meetup in Fontana has escalated into crime this year. In April, Fontana Police alerted the public to a March 17 Facebook Marketplace transaction that turned into an armed robbery at gunpoint, according to a post from the City of Fontana, CA. Police in Portland have reported at least 10 similar incidents in 2026, according to a public safety advisory posted by the Portland Police Bureau.
To help prevent these kinds of meetups from turning dangerous, the Fontana Police Department maintains a designated Safe Exchange Zone in the parking lot of its headquarters at 17005 Upland Avenue. The location is available during weekday business hours for residents conducting online sales transactions, according to SafeTrade Stations. The August case and the March incident also involved commercial parking lots.
San Bernardino County Community Indicators includes a page with safety and crime-rate information.
How to Report Crimes or Provide Tips
Fontana residents who witness a crime in progress should call 911. The Fontana Police Department also operates a 24-hour dispatch line at 909-350-7700 for non-emergency reports. The department's online reporting system covers incidents such as theft, vandalism, vehicle burglary, hit-and-run collisions and lost property, though those online reports are generally intended for documentation rather than immediate police response. Residents with information about a crime can also provide an anonymous tip through the department's tip line at 909-356-7186.
