Teens lured Facebook Marketplace shoppers with holiday gift items before terrorizing them at gunpoint, according to police.

Two suspects from Houston are on the run after being accused of staging scams on Facebook Marketplace and then robbing victims, according to police.

The Houston Police Department (HPD) is seeking Arlando Lyles, 17, for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and theft from a person, and Christian Ray Pickett, 18, for theft from a person. Additional charges may be filed.

The Robbery Division of HPD has identified Lyles and Pickett as two suspects in a series of incidents involving Facebook Marketplace, where suspects create fake profiles, meet with buyers in person, and rob them.

At least 15 victims have been robbed at 15 different locations on Facebook Marketplace since Sept. 21, according to investigators. HPD officers suspect that there may be more suspects involved who are posing as fake sellers on the platform.

On Facebook, users can buy and sell items through the Marketplace feature.

The social media selling platform has safeguards for buyers, but it is plagued with scammers who use false identities to deceive customers. For instance, a scammer may use a fake photo of an elderly couple or a young family to appear as a trustworthy seller.

Since September, there have been 15 robberies in "apartment complex parking lots in Southeast Houston," according to HPD.

According to ABC 13, Lyles allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of a family of five who were in a vehicle with her 15-year-old son just a few feet away. The father and their two other children, ages 8 and 10, ducked for cover inside the vehicle.

The 15-year-old mother had been chatting with Lyles on Facebook Marketplace in Spanish before they met up to buy a PlayStation 5. However, when they arrived at the meeting location and Lyles did not speak Spanish, the 15-year-old felt something was off, according to ABC 13.

Lyles allegedly claimed to have cash in hand and recently had negative experiences, not directed towards the recipient, in a message before meeting up at a suggested parking lot location.

Lyles allegedly demanded to see the $250 cash before handing over the PlayStation to the 15-year-old and his mother.

The 15-year-old told ABC 13 that he got out of the car, and then his mom got off the car. When he was about to open the car, the suspect reached into his pocket, pulled out a gun, aimed it at his mom, and demanded money. After getting the money, the suspect ran away with the PS5.

The suspects robbed the victim at the location after the buyer arrived, pointing a firearm at them and taking their money, according to the HPD Robbery Division's press release.

Police are still seeking the public's help in locating the two wanted teenagers, Lyles and Pickett, whose whereabouts were unknown as of Wednesday morning. Anyone who may have seen them is being asked to contact the police.

To avoid becoming a victim, buyers should meet Facebook Marketplace sellers at a local police department to complete their transactions, as recommended by Robbery Detective C. Lee in a video PSA posted on HPD's X account on Nov. 26.

""Many blank accounts are only used a few times, so look for profile pictures and account activity as good signs," Lee advised."

Lee stated that the suspects frequently present deals that seem "too good to be true" and specify the meeting location to interact with customers, he added.

Anyone with information about these robberies is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston directly at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting an online tip at www.crime-stoppers.org. A cash payment of up to $5,000 may be awarded for information leading to an arrest.