(Photo: Portsmouth PD)
PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Portsmouth Police Department is taking action to help online buyers and sellers with conducting transactions safely following a string of robberies.
Police are asking people to be extremely cautious when conducting transactions outside of public areas.
“Several robberies have occurred in recent days in which citizens were lured to secluded neighborhoods away from high traffic, public areas and robbed,” police said on their Facebook page.
Portsmouth Police has established an OfferUp meeting location outside of their headquarters at 801 Water Street. The area is marked by a green sign that says “Meetup Spot, Internet Purchase Exchange Location.”
“The goal is to reduce risky transactions and give the public a safer environment to trade items,” police said.
Police suggest people schedule the meetings during normal business hours on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., when a security officer is on duty and can provide assistance in case of emergency.
