Palos Park Police Offer Safe Space in Parking Lot To Complete Internet Transactions

PALOS PARK, IL -- Local residents now have a safe place to complete transactions made over the internet. In a time when internet transactions are becoming more common, Palos Park police are offering the police department parking lot to close internet deals. You don't have to be a Palos Park resident to use the exchange location.

The “Internet Purchase Exchange Location” is located on the south side of the Palos Park Police Department’s parking lot at 8999 W. 123rd St. The area is under 24/7 video surveillance and provides community members with a safer alternative to other meeting locations or letting strangers into their homes.

“The safe internet transaction place offers offers the police department’s parking lot to the public as a place to meet and handle their transaction," Police Commissioner Dan Polk said. “Online sites such as Craigslist and Facebook require some transactions be done in person. At such times, people invite strangers into their homes or meet them in an unsecured location, which can put individuals in danger.”

The exchange location is designed to deter criminal activity. Transactions conducted in the parking lot are between the parties involved. The police department DOES NOT need to be notified in advance parties will be conducting a sales transaction. No property may be stored of left in the police department parking lot.

Palos Park police also offer the following safety tips for conducting internet transactions, including:

1. Trust your instincts.

2. Don't go alone.

3. Insist on meeting at a public place such as a police department.

4. Do not meet in a secluded area.

5. Do not invite strangers into your home, and do not go to theirs.

6. Be cautious when buying/selling high value items.

7. Perform the transaction during daylight hours.

8. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

9. Tell a friend or family member when and where you’re going when closing a deal made over the internet.

10. Take your cell phone with you.