PICAYUNE — Picayune police officers recently investigated two cases that involved unusual circumstances.

One of the cases involved the victim fighting back, and not only scaring the suspects off, but alerting officers to their whereabouts. The second case involved a man who was robbed while meeting a woman he met online and who allegedly promised sexual services in exchange for money.

Capt. Chad Dorn said the first case occurred on June 22 when the victim reported two juveniles threatening to use a weapon had just attempted to rob her. Officers responding to the crime were advised by the victim that just before 11:30 p.m. she was at the car wash across from Winn-Dixie on U.S. Highway 11 when two juveniles wearing ski masks approached her and said, “give it up,” Dorn said. The woman asked what exactly it was she was supposed to give up, to which the suspects replied, “your purse.”

One of the suspects put his hand on his waist as though he had a weapon, prompting the victim to reach down in her car to grab her weapon, and replying, “Take this.” Dorn said the victim told officers that after she said that to the suspects, they ran off towards the grocery store parking lot. The victim followed them and saw them break out a window in a parked vehicle and steal a purse from the vehicle and run in the direction of the Grand Oaks Apartments on South Haugh Avenue.

The victim was on the phone with 911 while witnessing the vehicle break in and officers responded on scene immediately, capturing a 17-year-old suspect and a 14-year-old suspect, both males, after a short foot-chase through the complex. Both suspects, who were not named because they are minors, were charged with strong-arm robbery, vehicle burglary, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Dorn said.

The second case occurred the next day, on June 23, when a man flagged down an officer at about 5:30 p.m., saying he had been robbed of his money and cell phone about an hour earlier, Dorn said. Apparently, the victim had a date with a woman he met online for what he thought would be a sexual encounter, Dorn said. When he arrived at her home at 108 Grace Dr., he told the officers he noticed the woman, 22-year-old Shateema Avery, entered and exited her home numerous times, Dorn said.

The victim told officers an unknown man pulled up to the home, and the victim described seeing Avery and the man talking, prompting the victim to decide to leave since he was unable to get Avery’s undivided attention, Dorn said. Just as the victim was about to leave, she asked him to stay for a barbecue in her backyard, the victim said.

As the victim approached the rear of Avery’s home, he was rushed by the other man, who took the victim’s cash and cell phone, Dorn said.

Officers went to Avery’s home, but she was not there, Dorn said. However, Avery was arrested the next day on the unrelated charges of possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle and resisting arrest, providing officers with an avenue to ask her about the robbery, the police captain said.

Avery told officers when the victim arrived at her house, there was an agreement she would provide him with sexual services in exchange for $125, but she changed her mind once he arrived, prompting the victim to ask for his money back, Dorn said. When the victim would not leave, Avery said she called 19-year-old Leon Washington of 161 Eloise St., to scare off the victim, Dorn said.

Washington was driven to Avery’s home by 23-year-old Lavester Perkins of 506 S. Blanks Ave., and then Avery advised the victim about the false barbecue in the back of the home, Dorn said. Avery told officers she attempted to leave the home at that time and remembered seeing Washington hold a gun to the victim’s head as he robbed the man, the police captain said.

Dorn said Perkins was found by officers on June 24 and charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery for driving Washington to the home. Avery was additionally charged with prostitution and armed robbery, Dorn said. The police captain said Washington is still at large and considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is asked to contact the department at 601-798-7411 or Crime Stoppers at 601-798-CLUE (2583).