January 30, 2015

Police designate Craigslist safe zones

By Elisa Lala
PhillyVoice Contributor

Google/StreetView

The Falls Township Police Department parking lot on U.S. Route 30 in Fairless Hills.

Two Pennsylvania police departments are encouraging the public to use their parking lots as a meeting place for Craigslist transactions.

The Falls Township Police Department in Bucks County and the Conshohocken Police Department in Montgomery County both announced the offer on their social media sites.

While there haven't been any reported Craigslist-related crimes in either of the aforementioned areas, there have been many throughout the country. Just last week, a man was charged with murder in the death of a Georgia couple who went missing after contacting a car seller on Craigslist.

TIPS FOR SAFER CRAIGSLIST TRANSACTIONS:
Meet at a central location, such as a police department
Never go alone
Tell a third party where you are going
When you arrive, snap a picture of the person and/or their license plate and share it with someone

Falls Township police said their parking lot is "well-lit and has 24-hour surveillance so that you can feel safe exchanging your items."

Police noted that they are not promising to prevent a buyer from being scammed. The purpose of the parking lot is simply for safety.

Elisa Lala
PhillyVoice Contributor