The Bordentown Township Police Department recently designated the Municipal Building lobby as a Safe Transaction Zone where citizens can complete sales and purchases brokered through online auction and classified sites. “The safe transaction zone was established to help protect our citizens from robberies, thefts and scams that have become common with online transaction sites,” said police chief Frank Nucera. The Municipal Building is located at 1 Municipal Dr., Bordentown. The lobby is open 24 hours a day, is well-lit and is monitored by surveillance cameras. Bright yellow signs denoting the safe zone have been hung in the lobby area, as well as outside the municipal building.
Members of the Bordentown Township Police Department will not participate in transactions or act as witnesses. Transactions involving any type of contraband such as weapons, drugs or drug paraphernalia are barred from the zone.
Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when conducting transactions:
Only do transactions with local buyers/sellersDo not go to a transaction aloneMake sure a friend or family member is aware of the transaction detailsInsist on meeting in a public area, like the safe transaction zoneDo not go into someone else’s house, and do not allow them into yoursComplete the transaction during daylight hours.Be extra cautious when buying or selling valuable items such as vehicles and jewelryOnly use cash or money orders to complete your transactionsTrust your instincts: if it sounds like a scam it probably isIf somebody is not willing to come to the police department to conduct a transaction, then it is likely not a legitimate transaction
For more information, contact Capt. Brian Pesce of the BTPD at (609) 298-4300, ext. 2129, or via email at bpesce@bordentowntownshippd.com.
