On May 21st, 2015 at about 9 p.m., Azusa Police Department received a report of a robbery which had occurred in the 800 block of N. Azusa Avenue.

Officers responded to the location and spoke with the victim, who had received moderate injuries during the robbery. The victim told the officers she had arranged to sell her cell phone to a person by using a website called "Craigslist." She agreed to meet the potential buyer at the address on Azusa Avenue. 

The victim spoke to the buyer, who remained seated in her vehicle, along with another person. The victim gave the suspect her phone for them to examine prior to making the sale complete. Without warning, the driver quickly accelerated the vehicle. Fearing her phone was being stolen, the victim tried to grab her phone from inside the vehicle, but, was dragged 40 to 50 feet on the roadway.

Detectives from the Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau began investigating the robbery. Through this investigation, they were able to locate the suspect's vehicle on May 23rd, with the suspects actually seated in the vehicle.

The suspects, Taquala Woods (Age 19 from Columbus, Ohio) and Brianna Dixon (Age 18 from Honolulu, Hawaii), admitted to being involved in an incident in Azusa that was related to a cell phone. Both Woods and Dixon were arrested for violation of section 211 of the California Penal Code, which is robbery.

Have you been the victim of a similar crime?

It is believed Woods and Dixon may have been involved in other thefts similar to this one. Anyone who has been the victim of a theft under similar circumstances is urged to contact our detectives at (626) 812-3200.

Have Information For Us About This Case?

If you have any information which might be beneficial to the detectives, we encourage you to call (626) 812-3200. In the event you wish to remain anonymous, please click on the "Anonymous Tip" logo at the top of our website. Please reference case number 15-16988.

Crime Prevention Tips For Selling Online

We often see crimes related to the sales of personal property on popular websites. From the theft of the advertised property and use of counterfeit currency to kidnappings and sexual assaults, selling your property to someone you have never met before is dangerous. Please use the tips below when meeting potential buyers and sellers:

1. NEVER give any private information or use your real email address when dealing with people online
2. If you upload pictures of the item you are selling, make sure to remove any geo-location from the photos. Search online for more information about how to remove this data
3. NEVER meet anyone alone; Take a friend or family member with you
4. NEVER complete any transactions online. In doing so, you'll avoid any potential scams
5. Meet at a public location frequented by plenty of people, who could be witnesses should something happen
6. NEVER approach an occupied vehicle to complete the sale
7. Trust your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true or suspicious, then it probably is

MEDIA INQUIRIES: This press release was authorized by Lieutenant Mike Bertelsen. He can be emailed at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please call the on-duty watch commander at (626) 812-3200 for any immediate inquiries.