With the holiday shopping season almost officially underway, the Cherry Hill Police Department has unveiled a safer way for residents to complete online transactions through bartering websites such as Craigslist.
Last week, the Cherry Hill Police Department unveiled two designated safe zones near police headquarters for residents who are buying or selling goods online and want to meet the other party in the transaction in a safe environment.
“With the holidays coming up, we thought it was a good time to release it,” Police Chief William Monaghan said.
There are two safe zones, one outside in the horseshoe parking lot directly behind town hall and the police department, and one in the lobby of police headquarters. Each location is equipped with security cameras that will record all activity in the zones, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With sites such as Craigslist becoming more popular each year, Monaghan said the police department has had an increased number of cases of fraud in online transactions. One example of this happened last November at the Cherry Hill Mall parking lot. A man thought he was buying two iPhone 6s after seeing an advertisement on Craigslist. When the two men met, the buyer noticed the box had been tampered with and asked a police officer in the area to intervene. Police interviewed both men and then opened the box, which had cotton and rocks inside instead of the phones. The seller was arrested and charged with theft by deception.
Fraudulent cases aren’t the only issues police have had with these transactions. Cherry Hill Police have also gotten calls from residents who don’t feel safe when going to meet a stranger to buy or sell an item.
“We’ve had request where people ask us to come out to their houses as an escort,” Monaghan said.
If a resident runs into an issue within one of the safe zones, police will be able to go back to the surveillance footage to investigate. In addition, the safe zone inside the police department will have a police officer nearby at all hours.
“The interior location has cameras and there is someone seated at the headquarters window 24–7,” Monaghan said.
Residents are encouraged to use the safe zones for all online transactions where they have to meet a stranger to complete the deal. Monaghan described the safe zones as adding an extra layer of safety for the parties involved.
“If a resident is buying something, they can tell the seller I’ll do the deal, but you have to meet me at the Cherry Hill police station,” Monaghan said.
The safe zones can be used for both buyers and sellers. The police have had a number of cases where legitimate sellers within the township have been nervous about meeting a buyer to complete a transaction.
“If they don’t feel comfortable with the person coming to their house, they can tell the buyer to go to the police station and meet them,” Monaghan said.
Police officers will not be able to participate or witness transactions first hand at all hours of the day. The police department also cannot guarantee the quality or authenticity of items. Residents are advised to still be aware and vigilant when completing these transactions. Transactions involving weapons, drugs, paraphernalia or other illegal items are strictly prohibited in the zones.
