Orland Park police station offers safe spot to complete online transactions
Originally published May 24, 2015
Spring brings sunshine, flowers and, to many, the organizational bug.
If you have recently cleaned out your closet, attic, garage or basement and have troves of treasures to sell, but don’t have the fortitude for a garage sale, or an entire weekend to devote to conducting one, you may be considering consignment or selling your items online.
Craigslist and eBay offer free or inexpensive options to sell your used articles. Post a listing, attach some photos, and the conversations are handled through email, until you feel comfortable sharing phone contact information. If you agree upon a price for the item, you then need to find a place to meet — preferably somewhere out in the open and safe.
In the past, while selling a piece of electronics, I (and my daughter) met the young man who was purchasing it in the parking lot of Toys R Us. He offered that as a safe place, and we agreed. Later, when selling a set of dishes, I spoke with the woman wishing to purchase the dishware, and we decided to meet at Panera, although I did bring my husband along that time. (Tip – always have someone accompany you for the transaction).
According to Craigslist’s personal safety guidelines, you, the consumer, should “please take the same common sense precautions online as you would offline.”
They offer these suggestions:
Insist on a public meeting place, such as a cafe.
Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.
Be especially careful buying/selling high value items.
Consider making high-value exchanges at your local police station.
Tell a friend or family member where you are going.
Take your cell phone along if you have one.
Consider having a friend accompany you.
Trust your instincts.
I contacted the Orland Park Police Department and spoke with Cmdr. John Keating about options for using the Orland Park police station, 15100 Ravinia Ave., for transactions. The OPPD has recently started offering the police station lobby as a safe place to conduct online and other sales transactions. I visited the station, and the brightly lit, stark accommodations are an adequate backdrop to conducting transactions. Also, stating “let’s meet at the police station” would likely ward off any characters wishing to perpetuate nefarious transactions!
I asked Keating a few general questions regarding use of the station and about safety in general, and these are the responses to some questions you also may be asking.
What prompted the Orland Park Police Department to offer these services?
Keating: With the high number of transactions, and the stories out there involving threats to people conducting transactions in other areas (not in Orland), we decided to offer a safe place to host transactions.
Are there any guidelines that you wish the participants would adhere to?
Keating: Talk to potential buyers/sellers and be certain the deal and that the person is legitimate.
Are there specific hours to conduct transactions?
Keating: The building is open anytime, 24/7, 365 days a year.
What if the person has a large item that can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle? May they notify police personnel in the building of a transaction outside the building?
Keating: Yes. The front desk personnel can be made aware; however, police officers may not be available.
What if the transaction is for a very large item at their home? Should they contact the police department if they fear being compromised – would an officer be available?
Keating: Unfortunately, this is not an option. With the large number of transactions occurring, our police staff would not/could not be present for every transaction. And, what one person considers a high-value item, may not, in some cases, be high-value. Also, police personnel then would be kept occupied when or if an emergency situation arose.
What other advice would you have for people trying to conduct transactions?
Keating: We want people to be comfortable here, and provide a safe environment for our residents to conduct transactions. Also, if it sounds too good to be true, don’t do the deal. If you are concerned about the monetary transaction, perhaps consider a PayPal account or eBay for selling large ticket items.
One last piece of advice: Keating says to consider selling items through Facebook. With your more known “friends” in your contact list, this is a quick and safe option, as well.
For more information, these websites offer advice, tips and guidelines for safe selling online.