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Suffolk Police establish safe meeting zone locations for online sellers, buyers

Posted at 8:46 AM, Nov 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-15 08:46:23-05

Suffolk Police HQ (Google Maps)

SUFFOLK, Va. – The Suffolk Police Department has established two safe meeting zone locations for citizens to complete transactions that are initiated online.

Many people are now using online sites like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Offerup to buy and sell things. However, there has been an increase in robberies and assaults on citizens when the two parties meet up to complete the transactions.

Suffolk Police say several robberies have occurred in recent months in which citizens were lured to secluded neighborhoods away from high traffic, public areas and robbed.

Police hope the new meeting zones will reduce the risk of being targeted and possibly becoming a victim, reduce risky transactions, and give the public a safer environment to meet and conduct legal transactions.

One of the safe meeting zone locations is Suffolk Police Headquarters, 111 Henley Place. The Suffolk Police Headquarters lobby is open 24-hours a day and is equipped with video surveillance cameras. The other safe meeting place location is at the Sector II Police Precinct, 3903 Bridge Road in Northern Suffolk. The Precinct II lobby is open Monday thru Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is also equipped with video surveillance cameras. If you must meet after hours, the Sector II Police Precinct parking lot is well-lit and has video surveillance cameras.

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