Darien Police Set Up Safe Exchange Zone for Internet Purchases

DARIEN, CT—Darien Police have set up a safe exchange site at police headquarters for people to exchange goods bought on Craigslist, Facebook eBay and other electronic services.

The area is under constant video surveillance and is recorded. Police remind people not to conduct illegal transactions of dangerous materials or weapons right under their nose.

"Darien is one of the safest communities in our state and we are always looking for ways to make it even safer," said Sgt. Jeremiah Marron, police spokesman. "This location gives people in our community a protected place to exchange internet purchases and provides a more secure alternative than meeting a stranger at a private residence."

Other tips from police:

· Only use websites you are familiar with
· Never provide personal information over the internet
· Never purchase anything online using your credit card from a site that does not have an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
· When taking photos, utilize the cut and paste method from a Word document. This will make it harder for someone to utilize GPS location programs to find where you live.
· Take a photo of just the item you are selling. Items in the background can represent additional targets for the would‐be criminal
· Ask a lot of questions
· Don’t go alone and show up early
· Finally, use the Darien Police Department “Internet Purchase Exchange Location” created to provide a safe place to make and document these types of transactions