Police department creates zone for safer online sales in Abbotsford, B.C.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Meeting a stranger to complete an online deal can feel risky, even for a veteran police officer.
Sgt. Judy Bird knows first-hand about the “sketchy” feeling that can come with buying or selling items on platforms like Craigslist, Kijiji or Facebook.
“Even though you’re not doing anything wrong, it feels weird. You’re sitting in your car, waiting to meet somebody that you don’t know and hoping that this transaction goes well,” said Bird, spokeswoman for the Abbotsford Police Department in B.C.
Abbotsford police are trying to make online deals less risky by turning two parking stalls in front of the department’s headquarters into a space where people can meet safely.