2 Recent Armed Robberies Prompted By Online Purchases: Seattle PD

SEATTLE, WA — Detectives with the Seattle Police Department are urging the public to use caution when meeting buyers or sellers in online sales.

According to the department, two robberies in August were related to OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace meetups.

"For your safety, SPD’s South, Southwest and North Precincts have publicly accessible parking lots where you can meet," the department said in a tweet Wednesday.

This is not the first time bad people with bad intentions have used online platforms to target unsuspecting victims. In June, police said three people were the victims of armed robberies after purchasing or selling an item online.

In each of those cases, police said the suspects pulled out a gun on their targets. In one of those cases, the victim was pistol-whipped.

To minimize the risk of becoming a crime victim when buying/selling online:

• Conduct the sell or purchase during the daytime - never at night
• Meet the buyer/seller in a public setting, preferably outside of your local police department
• Never conduct a sale/purchase in a secluded area
• Always let a friend or family member know where you are going, what time they can expect you back and who'll you'll be meeting with
• There is safety in numbers. Take a someone with you to conduct your sale or purchase