After a rash of robberies in connection with selling items online on Tuesday evening, the Winnipeg Police Service is reminding the public of important safety tips. 

Const. Jay Murray of the WPS says that they want to be clear that the victims in Tuesday night's robberies are not at fault. "We don't want to victim blame," Murray said. However, it's a reminder that people should always be vigilant when conducting transactions.

Police say that while the vast majority of transactions from online classified sites are conducted safely, there are some important considerations to keep in mind:

  • Never meet someone alone.
  • Meet in a public place with many people around. Avoid meeting in areas that you are unfamiliar with.
  • If possible, meet during daylight hours.
  • Survey the area. If things don’t look or feel right, make alternative arrangements.
  • Keep a mobile phone nearby.
  • Exchange phone numbers beforehand, but do not provide your personal information beyond your name.
  • Use common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

Some cities, such as Brandon, MB, have safe zones set up at local police stations to conduct in-person meetings for online sales.

While Winnipeg does not have those yet, Murray says that it's something they're studying.

He also said that the public is very much welcome to use police stations as a meeting place. He still cautioned, however, that police station parking lots are not constantly being monitored by police and they would not necessarily be able to respond quickly should something happen.