Cherry Hill Police set up safe zones for Craigslist meets

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (WPVI) -- Police in Cherry Hill, New Jersey are ramping up their efforts to protect people who buy and sell items on Craigslist and similar sites.

There are two locations at the town hall building, including the police operations center, that are designated as safe transaction zones.

"You should never go into somebody's home. If they're insistent on meeting you in a dark place or a secluded area late at night, I'd certainly avoid that," said Capt. Amy Winters. "That's why we have a well-lit area that's been designated."

There is a second safe zone in a parking lot outside the municipal building. Both are under constant surveillance and police are nearby if something goes wrong.

"We realize that this is a popular way to buy and sell goods and we wanted to provide a place where they can come 24 hours a day," said Cherry Hill spokeswoman Brigid Palmer.

Cherry Hill joins a number of towns that already have safe zones, including Pine Hill, Allentown, Lansdale and Conshohocken. It adds an extra level of safety when dealing with strangers.

"Save people from being scammed, killed, beat up, anything," said Mary Ann Crist of Cherry Hill.

Craigslist meetings can lead to danger, and even death. In 2013, 27-year-old Daniel Cook of Williamstown, New Jersey was murdered in West Oak Lane when he went to buy an ATV he saw online.

And last year an Allentown business owner was shot to death by a man responding to a used car ad.

Steve Sinclair of Cherry Hill is extra careful. He says even before the safe zone was created, he would insist on making his Craigslist deals at police headquarters.

"I met people online before where they wanted to meet to buy a car or something like that, and then decided not to go because of the location," Sinclair said.