Police parking lot offered as a safe place to transact business. Really!

By Staff

July 20, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

The Halton Regional Police Service is pleased to announce the launch of our first Buy & Sell Exchange Zone.

A zone is an area the police set up that they deem to be a safe place.  Right outside police headquarters is probably as safe as you are going to get.

Why such a zone?  The Halton Regional Police explain:

Many people have become victims of crimes like robberies, frauds and thefts when attempting to buy or sell property online. The purpose of the Buy & Sell Exchange Zone is to provide some additional peace of mind to those who are buying, selling, or trading property online. If you are meeting new people while finalizing online transactions, we encourage you to use our Exchange Zone.

You can expect to be safe outside Police headquarters

The clearly-signed Exchange Zone is situated in the visitor parking lot of our 20 Division facility, which is located at:
95 Oak Walk Drive, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G6 – Phone: 905-825-4777 ext. 2

If you are unable to meet at our Buy & Sell Exchange Zone, please consider completing your transactions in well-lit, public and popular locations to avoid being a victim of crime.

Tips to protect yourself during a buy and sell exchange:
• Complete your transaction during daytime hours only.
• Use the buddy system when possible. Bring a family or friend with you, or at the very least, let someone know who you will be meeting, the time, and the location of the exchange.
• To reduce the potential of falling victim to fraud, never complete a buy and sell transaction by mail.
• When meeting in person, always inspect goods you wish to purchase before giving money to the seller.
• Limit the amount of personal information you provide.
• Stop. Pause. Think. If something seems too good to be true, it likely is.