CRIAGSLIST HOME INVASION ROBBERIES- Personal Safety & Selling Online

This morning's Everett Herald has a good summary of yesterday's reporting on the Craigslist home invasion robberies, http://bit.ly/acgIdA. It also reported the following prevention recommendations from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office:


Tips for staying safe when doing business online

Meeting people via Craigslist, the Internet or any other cyber-venue is inherently risky. They are hunting grounds for fraudsters and worse, police said. Here are some basic tips for staying safe:


Trust your instincts. If you get a bad feeling, trust it. No deal is worth the safety of a loved one.

Demand to meet in a busy public place. If the person asks you to come alone or tries to change locations , call it off. If they try to change locations last minute, that's also a warning sign.

Tell a family member or friend if you plan a meeting with a buyer or seller. Bring a cell phone and stay in contact with friends to share details about who arrives, including vehicle information.

Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early and watch who shows up. Criminals will do this to you.

Don't go alone. There's safety in numbers.

Never give out personal information including your home or work address. Don't meet buyers or sellers at home.

Source: Snohomish County Sheriff's Office

PIERCE AND SNOHOMISH COUNTIES- Craigslist Home Invasion Robberies

Today, the major media in the Puget Sound region has been reporting on two serious incidents, one in Edgewood, Pierce County and the other in Lake Stevens, Snohomish County. Last night, the press reported on the Edgewood incident in which a father was killed and a 14 year old boy injured by three men and a women who were responding to an ad on Craigslist for an expensive ring. Once inside the house, they assaulted the family and left with several items from the house.

This morning, the Lake Stevens Police Department issue a press release concerning a similar incident that happened on Sunday night. In that incident, two male suspects showed up at a Lake Stevens house in response to a Craigslist ad selling a flatscreen TV. Once inside the house the suspects brandished firearms, tied up the family and allowed other parties to enter the house. In less than 10 minutes the robbers stole electronics, jewelry, and a large amount of Iraqi currency in $5,000 denominations.

As part of their press release, the Lake Stevens Police Department distributed two suspect sketches. One suspect is described as an African American male, 18-24 years old, 5’6”, 160 lbs, thin build, goatee. The other is a mixed race male (Asian/African American) 18-24 years, 5’10”, 170 lbs, thin build, tattoo on neck.

If you have any information about the identity of the suspects please contact Det. Dennis Irwin, Lake Stevens Police Department at 425-334-9537 (office) or dirwin@ci.lake-stevens.wa.us.

Comment: One would not think that personal safety would be a concern when trying to sell items on Craigslist, Ebay or even the good old fashioned classifieds. In some news reports, neighbors were reported as pulling their ads from Craigslist. The Seattle Times reports that Craigslist recommends the following safety measures when selling on their site:

When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:

• Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe.

• Tell a friend or family member where you're going.

• Take your cellphone along if you have one.

• Consider having a friend accompany you.

• Trust your instincts.


For more information about these incidents go to:

http://www.q13fox.com/media/acrobat/2010-04/53541695.pdf

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011735142_homeinvasion30m.html

http://heraldnet.com/article/20100429/NEWS01/100429819&news01ad=1#Lake.Stevens.home-invasion.robbery.may.be.tied.to.fatal.Pierce.County.shooting