Annapolis police offer safe zone
Craigslist transactions have taken on a sinister context with reports of people being robbed — and even murdered — during face-to-face transactions.
For example, a Millersville man was lured to a secluded parking lot with a fake Craigslist ad for a car and then shot and killed when he refused to give up his money. The gunman was caught and sentenced to 60 years in prison in February.
So, if you are worried about arranging such a meeting, just tell the person on the other end of the advertisement to meet you at 199 Taylor Ave. in Annapolis. That’s the police station. “We’re a 24 and 7 operation,” said Annapolis Police Chief Michael Pristoop. “Come by any time.”
The police are offering the station’s parking lot and its lobby as a “safe zone” for increasingly common Internet sales between strangers. An on-duty officer will even stand by your shoulder if you like. And, if you are concerned that the item for purchase might be stolen, the police can check serial numbers or databases.
“We want to be proactive,” said the police chief. “There are a lot of people who are concerned and there is every reason to be. This is an extra layer of protection.”
Citizens don’t have to make an appointment. If it is after hours, simply press the buzzer and the station door will be opened by a staff member.
“You can be met by an officer or you can just come in and use the building,” said Chief Pristoop. “Or just ask any officer you see in the parking lot.”
Just the suggestion that a meeting take place at a police station might discourage anyone with an ugly motive. And it would be nice to know if that bike you are buying has been stolen. The Annapolis police have found a no-cost way to keep people a little safer.
Chief Pristoop said police are not unaware of local — and national — news stories about Craigslist murders and robberies. But the inspiration came from Queen Anne’s County Sheriff Gary Hofmann, who instituted such a service last year. “It was a very good idea,” he said. The public agrees. The Capital, the city’s newspaper, praised the police in an editorial, and the chief said there has been plenty of positive response from the public. “That’s the best part for us.”
He added that there are police departments across the nation that are doing the same thing. It is hard to understand why every municipality isn’t doing it.
But there is no reason why civilians can’t take the initiative. If you are shopping at an Internet yard sale and you need to meet a stranger to complete a transaction, why not suggest you meet at the police station?