Keeping residents safe in technology age

UPTON - The age of technology has certainly made life more convenient, but also more dangerous, and the Upton Police Department is working to make online purchases safer by offering up their parking lot to online shoppers.

Online shopping has been popular for nearly as long as the Internet has been, but many shoppers are going to new extremes to buy, sell or trade items with local “yard sale” groups on Facebook, local buying and selling apps such as “Close5” and “OfferUp,” or the ever-popular “Craigslist.”

And these venues are certainly gaining popularity, The Facebook page “Upton, Ma Area Yard Sale” has more than 3,200 members.

These sites, apps and pages serve as a platform for users to connect to other locals who may be looking to buy or sell an item. Users appreciate these platforms for their convenience - some can find things that they’ve been searching for locally, at a discounted rate, while others can easily dispose of the objects that are cluttering their home.

But convenience can sometimes come at a risk. And while the risk of meeting up with a stranger to make an exchange is apparent to most, many don’t let horror stories of predators such as Philip Markoff, “The Craiglist Killer” who, in 2009, robbed and killed victims he met on Craigslist, scare them away.

The Upton Police Department found a way to make online exchanges safer for all parties involved. Last week, the department installed a sign in the parking lot reading “Internet Purchase Exchange Location - This Area is Under 24 Hour Video Surveillance,” and are offering the spot as a secure location for buyers and sellers to make exchanges.

In an Oct. 5 Facebook post sharing a photo of the new sign, the Upton Police Department wrote “The public is welcome to use our department parking lot as a place to meet and handle their transactions. Simply come to our parking lot, conduct your transaction, and leave.”

Upton Police Chief Michael Bradley said he was inspired by a police department on the west coast that installed similar signs when he heard about it at a conference about a year ago. He discussed it with Officer Matthew Rankins, who handles the department’s social media, and he “took the ball and ran with it,” said Bradley.

At least 70 police departments across the country have already created safe zones, according to a June report from the Wall Street Journal.

While there hasn't been an assault or robbery from online exchanges in Upton, according to Bradley, he is aware there have been several nationwide, and the Upton Police Department does “get calls and complaints from victims of scams from online sources.”

Bradley said he is aware that some people had already used the parking lot for online exchanges prior to the sign and he wanted to stress that “we do encourage it.”

Despite being in close proximity to the police station itself, there is added safety in the location because there are cameras in the parking lot facing the ground, and it is well-lit at night.

The department stresses in the post that when making Internet exchanges, it is always important to make sure friends or family know where you are going, or to bring someone with you because “no bargain is worth your safety.”

In two days, the Facebook post received more than 1,900 likes and 1,200 shares in addition to more than 200 positive comments of locals expressing gratitude to the Upton Police, calling the idea “brilliant” and “fantastic.”

Abby Kastner Mayou commented on the post saying, “That is so awesome. I hope other towns follow suit.”

Karen Slattery Meade said she shared the post in her online yard sale groups, and “they are extremely grateful.”

While some said they already use their local police departments for exchanges, most were pleased to realize that they now have a place where they are welcome to safely conduct business.

Kimberly Haines said she was selling a child’s toy seven years ago when her camera containing four year's worth of pictures of her kids was robbed. “I was devastated,” she said.“Thank you for caring about your citizens.”

The spot is not just limited to Upton residents. The police department says anyone is welcome to use it.

Corin Cook can be reached atccook@wickedlocal.com or 508-634-7521. Follow her on Twitter @corincook_MDN.