MURFREESBORO, TN – A woman trying to make a quick $60 by selling two tables on Facebook Marketplace found herself short-changed—and tabled—when the buyer pulled a fast one, leaving only half the money and twice the drama. 

The tables, priced at $30 each, were placed on the seller’s porch for pickup after she struck a deal through the social media platform. But when she checked her porch later that evening, the tables were gone... and money was actually left behind! But, it wasn't the full price the buyer agreed to. Apparently, that buyer did some one-sided negotiating and only paid 50% of the price, but left with 100% of the goods. You read it correctly, the buyer, whom we'll nickname "Thief," left the woman $30 bucks instead of the full $60 he agree to online. After the mystery shopper left behind half the moolah, he pulled a disappearing act.

Doing what any porch-based entrepreneur would do, the woman reached out to the buyer and politely suggested he either: A) Return a table, or B) Pay the remaining $30 like an adult.

The buyer initially said he would return one table—perhaps realizing the Facebook karma police were watching—but then changed course faster than someone browsing "Free Couch: Must Pick Up Today." He invited her to meet him somewhere to get the table back. Her response? A firm, unequivocal “NO.”

Later that evening, she made one final appeal at 8PM, to which he replied that 8PM was too late to return stolen furniture — okay, maybe he didn't say those exact words, but he did act like SHE was asking for way too much in her request. In fact, the thief told the victim that 8PM was an unreasonable time of night for him to return one of the two tables - - as if his calendar was full of other semi-legal engagements. Days passed. Still no second table. Still no extra $30.

Fed up with the failed transaction and discounted justice, the woman contacted the Murfreesboro Police Department and filed a theft report. At this point, a warrant may be coming down the line—and maybe, just maybe, the elusive $30 or table might make its way back to the rightful porch.

Moral of the story? When someone says “$30 per table,” they mean $30 PER TABLE. Not “Buy One, Steal One Free.”