After a handful of high-profile crimes involving Craigslist buyers or sellers being victimized, the Villa Park Police Department is joining departments around the country by providing a designated location for such transactions.
In an effort to reduce the chance of those incidents, the Village of Villa Park will offer its Police Department lobby as a meeting place to complete online transactions. A staff member is at the front desk from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and even if the staff member at the desk is busy, there are other department staff members around at any given time.
While the Police Department lobby is available, staff recommends that people arrange their transactions during the day and bring a buddy.
Although the police department is being used as a venue to conduct transactions, this does not guarantee the validity of any merchandise or payments made as a result of Craigslist transactions. Police department personnel will not document the identity or specifics of any transaction taking place at the police department.