NEWNAN, Ga. — Websites like Craigslist are excellent for finding a deal, but meeting somewhere unfamiliar with someone you don't know is always a risk.
"That would be my biggest fear... is being robbed," said Daniel Sickler.
That's why Newnan Police Chief Douglas Meadows went to Twitter to offer the Public Safety Center as a safe place to carry out online transactions.
"I thought if they get there and there's nowhere to park, what are you going to do?" said Meadows.
This week, he put his words into action and created several dedicated parking spots at police headquarters.
"If someone's hesitant about meeting you at a police department, or a law enforcement agency, I would just cancel the deal," Meadows said.
Like the deals that led to tragedies, including when Bud and June Runion were murdered when they tried to buy a classic Mustang through Craigslist and when Clark Atlanta University student James Jones was killed when suspects lured him with an iPhone listing.
"We might not stop 100 percent of them, but if you prevent just one bad situation from happening, it's worth it," Meadows said.
Not only are police hoping the safe spots weed out the predators, they also believe it will help buyers stay away from stolen property.
"If you actually have the item in hand and there's serial numbers on it, we can actually go ahead and run it," Meadows said.
Newnan police add safe spots for online transactions
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