ELKHART, Ind. – The Elkhart Police Department has created a new initiative to help keep community members safe during online purchase exchanges by establishing designated areas for these individuals to meet at.

The police department now has spaces in its parking lot that are under 24/7 video surveillance.

“There is a risk in meeting strangers to buy products listed on sites like Facebook Marketplace, for example,” Chief Seymore notes. “We were encouraged by a concerned citizen in our community to create a safe place in our parking lot for individuals to meet and conduct these exchanges. We as a department took this advice to heart and created these spaces, which are monitored and well-lit.”

Individuals can also use the police station’s lobby during lobby hours to exchange purchases.

The lobby is open Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Elkhart police encourage the community to practice safety during these exchanges by doing the following:

• Make the exchange in a public area during daylight hours and where there are security cameras.
• Meet at the police department, if possible.
• Follow your gut. If something seems off, call off the deal.
• Avoid going into someone’s house or apartment complex. If you’re the seller, do not invite the buyer to meet at your house or give them your address.
• Do not pay for an item until you see it.
• If you’re robbed, call 911 and give as much detail as possible to investigators.