After 12-Year Old Swindled, Farmington Hills Police Remind Public of Safe Transaction Zones
(City of Farmington Hills, Feb. 10, 2022)
Farmington Hills, MI – Do you buy, sell, or trade items on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or other online sites? The Farmington Hills Police Department encourages you to use the designated Safe Transaction Zones at Police Headquarters when meeting with a stranger.
Safe Transaction Zones include the lobby of Police Headquarters at 31655 West Eleven Mile Road, and two parking spots out front clearly marked with signs and green pavement stripes. These locations are monitored by security cameras with officers in close proximity 24/7. But please note that Police employees cannot serve as witnesses or get involved in purchase negotiations, and the parking lot may not be used to store vehicles or property.
“The Police Department reminds everyone to focus on their personal safety and always trust their instincts,” said Chief Jeff King. “Meeting in a Safe Transaction Zone reduces the odds of criminal victimization and eliminates the need to give a stranger your address.”
Officers recently responded to a Facebook Marketplace larceny complaint from a 12-year-old resident who met a seller in a local parking lot to purchase a PlayStation. The seller gave the boy an empty box and fled the scene with $170. Fortunately, a group of kindhearted Police Officers turned this bad situation around. One officer donated his own PS4 and other officers purchased gift cards and a wireless gaming headset for the young crime victim. The incident ended with investigators identifying and arresting the suspect who committed the larceny.
For further information on the Safe Transaction Zones, contact the Police Department Command Desk at 248-871-2610.