SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – Springfield Police are urging people to take precautions when buying items online. They’re even providing a secure pick-up spot for the public to use.
The location provided by the Springfield Police Department, at their headquarters at 130 Pearl Street, is designed to give those buying and selling items an extra blanket of security to deter scammers or those who might try to steal your items from showing up in the first place.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno told Western Mass News if people don’t want to show up to the police station to pick-up or drop-off a purchased item, that may raise some red flags.
“That individual or individuals you’re dealing with, if for a second you say ‘Gee, I would love to be able to see that, what you have there, or that product you have or I’m interested on it. Why don’t you meet me here?’ and you say, ‘I’d be more than happy to meet you, but I want you to meet me in front of the Springfield police station.’ If they hesitate at all…red flag,” Sarno said.
The Springfield Police Department has been a designated meet-up spot since 2018. The area is equipped with multiple security cameras monitoring the area and what better way to ensure safety than having the police station just a few steps away.
In a recent incident in New York, an off-duty New York police officer was critically shot when the seller attempted to rob him after agreeing to meet up to buy a car. Sarno added that having a police station nearby will help stave off these violent acts and keep buying and selling items on the internet as safe as possible.
“If something goes awry, the police station is right there and we have cameras systems all over the place there and in many areas in our city too…If the deal seems too good to be true or if something in your head heart and gut doesn’t click right, it’s probably not a good deal to pursue,” Sarno explained.
Springfield Police is not the only designated meet-up spot for online purchases. You can CLICK HERE for more information.
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