'Safe Exchange Zone' for Craigslist Sales Created in South Brunswick

South Brunswick, NJ - Ever felt nervous telling a stranger to come to your home to buy or sell an item from Craigslist?

The South Brunswick Police Dept. has created a “Safe Exchange Zone” for residents to meet when selling or buying items online. East Brunswick police designated a similar safe exchange spot earlier this month.

Two spots have been designated in the parking lot of the police station, which is well lit. People can meet and sell their goods there without fear of being ripped off. While officers will not be actively monitoring transactions, the spots are directly in front of the police department lobby doors. Look for the signs that say: “Reserved Parking – Safe Exchange Zone – 15 Min Parking Limit – 24 Hour Monitoring."

The zone was announced Monday, and five residents already called the police department, thanking them for creating it, said Capt. Jim Ryan.

In the past two years, South Brunswick has had 25 reports where residents were ripped off in sales from sites like Craigslist or eBay, said Chief Raymond Hayducka.

Here are some incidents that happened recently in South Brunswick Township:

• In December of 2015 a South Brunswick resident purchased a dirt bike online and met the seller at his house. The resident purchased the dirt bike only to later learn it was stolen from Paterson.
• In September of 2015 a resident met a man selling a cell phone in a parking lot near the NJ Turnpike. The purchased cell phone later turned out to have been reported stolen in another town.
• In February of 2015 a local man realized his cell phone had been stolen and saw it for sale on Craigslist. He met the seller at a Rt. 1 business, where the seller was arrested by police.