Selling an Item in Public: Keep the Peace

I've always sold items through CL and Ebay. Luckily I've never had any bad incidents. Mostly good people just looking for a deal. Some items sold at the end of my driveway and others at a public location.

I currently have an iMac for sale, so the problem is electricity. I'm sure a buyer will want to power it up and test it out. I figured meet at the police station and plug it in. So I gave them a call and they said, no to that, but what they will do is a "Keep the Peace" call. This will allow us to meet at any location within our city's limits and have a police officer present during the transaction.

Has anyone used this type of service?

Thanks

Haven't used that, but seems like a good idea. If the other party won't agree to that, then the transaction probably wouldn't have gone well!

definitely a good idea when it comes to exchange high priced items and cash.

You must have a very good local police station. I cannot imagine the police on the Big Island doing anything like that. In fact, I cannot imagine them arriving on time to an emergency call.

This may sound dumb but I've always wanted to open a shop just for CL or online transactions with an armed guard on duty. Maybe charge $5/person. I dunno. Just my brain at work.

I agree with Ron. LOl police here don't respond to home invasions if the intruder is no longer present. I could never imagine them showing up to oversee me making a few dollars on a sale.

Hopefully no one is being raped or murdered or robbed or beaten while the police are monitoring a craigslist transaction...

Even more hopefully, this is some kind of joke or mistake.

All civil service employees get breaks to do what ever they need to do.Perhaps one might be amiable to a little part time work off duty.

jrbdmb wrote in post #16405629
I'm not sure I'd suggest a police station meeting (a public place like a Starbucks might work just as well) - but the fact that the buyer refused to do this is a giant red flag. I would not follow through with this meeting.

He said the police department turned him down, not the buyer.


To the OP, I would go to a Starbucks (not during busy hours, but while there is a decent amount of people there) or some other place with a decently-sized dining room and readily available power outlets. McDonalds would be another option.

Never considered a keep the peace call for a craigslist transaction. I would think they would never show because something more important was going on or would leave for a priority call. It would just seem strange to me to go through with some transaction that warranted personal police protection.
If it works for you I say go for it. As we used to say in the Army, "A stupid idea that works ain't stupid."

I would probably set something up in a public place police normally frequent if personal service is not available. If a large amount of cash is changing hands it is smart to take a friend. Somebody planning on robbing you probably won't show up alone.

jrbdmb: I believe the police refused the station meeting, not the buyer.

Ynot wrote in post #16404161
I figured meet at the police station and plug it in. So I gave them a call and they said, no to that, but what they will do is a "Keep the Peace" call. This will allow us to meet at any location within our city's limits and have a police officer present during the transaction.

Has anyone used this type of service?

It sounds like it was the Police who suggested the Keep the Peace call.

Depending on the city / town, it might be a better use of their resources, having a beat officer spend 15 minutes watching over a deal - rather than having a detective spent more time dealing with a robbery or assault (or worse) report.

I bought a lens off CL. Met at my bank, told bank security what I was doing prior to the sale. It went smoothly, no trouble, was able to get cash from the teller and hand it to the seller. Everyone happy. No police. I believe that the bank MAY have had electricity on the premises... Have to remember that if I try to buy/sell a computer.

You could also use a library.

It seems silly that a policeman would show up for a sale elsewhere, but would not allow it at a station.

I'm assuming having the buyer meet you are house to test the iMac is out of the question? I mean they don't necessarily have to come inside and go to your room (which I would never allow). But maybe set up the iMac in the garage and have them try it there.

I usually use my bank's lobby for CL transactions. Lots of cameras to deter a potential baddie, and generally a pretty secure type of location. Also, I can deposit the cash right then and there.