PSA: This Is Why You Meet In Public Places

[FayeW]

This took place in my neighbourhood two nights ago. I am posting this as a reminder to people who buy or sell used items on Craigslist, Kijiji, etc to not give out their home address, and to meet strangers in public places, preferably not alone.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090818/OTT_Online_Ads_090818/20090818/?hub=OttawaHome

I made sure that my kids both read the article to remind them that even while our neighbourhood is safe, bad things can happen to good people anytime, anywhere, and we must be cautious and use good judgement. Also wanted to show my daughter that I am not just a mean mother when I want to know her whereabouts, etc.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Wow, thanks for posting that. How horrible. I have some furniture I'd like to sell, but I won't put it on Craigslist for this very reason.

That poor woman

 

[legalsea]

Very strange incident. Read the article very, very carefully and you will see how few 'facts' there are. Indeed, I can find only one indisputable fact: the woman was found injured in the street by a passerby.

The rest is either speculation or based on information (apparently) provided by the mother-in-law. There is no indication that the injured woman has been able to tell her side of the story. No one saw the incident.

The story simply does not make a lot of sense. However, I certainly agree with the sentiment of being very careful about whom you invite over to your house.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

Craigslist scares me. My DH does use it, though. He had an ancient car for sale, didn't run, so the only way a buyer could see it was at the house. A buyer wanted to come by when DH wasn't home, so I would have to talk to him. Well, we were outside and I forgot to bring my cell phone out with me. Oh, my! I have NEVER heard DH so mad! He even called the buyer while I was outside to see what was going on. I had a couple of angry voicemails and quite a lecture from DH. He said I took a couple years off his life by not answering the phone. Everything was fine, but DH didn't know that and he would have preferred to be in constant contact with me when a stranger is at the house.

 

[MIGrandma]

That's terrible!

We have never sold anything on Craigslist, but we did buy a double glider swing a couple of months ago from someone. My DH called about it, and they gave us their address to come and look at it. I never thought anything about it. We went. We saw it. We bought it.

After reading this, I might think twice about going to someone's house tho.

 

[ZachnElli]

What happened to this woman is very sad. But we've had stuff we wanted to sell that was way too big to take to a public place and we gave out our address without incident. Just sold an old golf cart on Saturday in fact, it didn't run and we had no way to take it anywhere. The people who bought it brought a trailer to haul it away. DH is always here when we do it though.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

I reciently gave my cell # to a local tennis club because they said that they may be able to set me up with some people to play. Well a woman called, and I'm meeting her, her Dh and son this weekend to play mixed doubles. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about it, but its in a busy park. I'm sure everything will be just fine, but if I get any wierdo vibes, I'm outa there!!!!

 

[FayeW]

Very strange incident. Read the article very, very carefully and you will see how few 'facts' there are. Indeed, I can find only one indisputable fact: the woman was found injured in the street by a passerby.

The rest is either speculation or based on information (apparently) provided by the mother-in-law. There is no indication that the injured woman has been able to tell her side of the story. No one saw the incident.

The story simply does not make a lot of sense. However, I certainly agree with the sentiment of being very careful about whom you invite over to your house.

Well, the bracelet she was selling is also missing, so it certainly appears that robbery was, if not the motive, at least the catalyst that led to her injuries. I would not advertise my address or home phone number if I was selling something small and valuable. Somebody could come by as a pretense and then come back and rob you blind once they knew you had something of value.

I just drove past their house on my way home today. She is in a medically induced coma. Very sad and very scary.

 

[C.Ann]

Very strange incident. Read the article very, very carefully and you will see how few 'facts' there are. Indeed, I can find only one indisputable fact: the woman was found injured in the street by a passerby.

The rest is either speculation or based on information (apparently) provided by the mother-in-law. There is no indication that the injured woman has been able to tell her side of the story. No one saw the incident.

The story simply does not make a lot of sense. However, I certainly agree with the sentiment of being very careful about whom you invite over to your house.

I have to agree.. Something doesn't add up.. And why did her husband remain in the house - upstairs? I think there's more to this story than meets the eye..

We (myself, DD and her DH) have been using Craigslist for quite some time now - with no incidents.. Not even a hint of one.. DD's DH handles all of it for us - including weeding out the scam emails..

Definitely a lot left out of this "story"..

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Scary. I agree wtih the PP that said 'getting a vibe'... We have bought and sold a few things... I have gone to more peoples homes that I've had come to mine though. In fact, I prefer to meet in public, but if DBF answers the phone, he just gives them the address
I am emailing him this story....

 

[legalsea]

Well, the bracelet she was selling is also missing, so it certainly appears that robbery was, if not the motive, at least the catalyst that led to her injuries. I would not advertise my address or home phone number if I was selling something small and valuable. Somebody could come by as a pretense and then come back and rob you blind once they knew you had something of value.

I just drove past their house on my way home today. She is in a medically induced coma. Very sad and very scary.

It is very sad and scary.

However, how do you KNOW that there is a bracelet involved? Is it based simply upon a statement by the mother-in-law? Did you actually see the ad on craigslist?

The story apparently is: the criminal drove up to the house; got out of his or her car; went to the door; dragged the woman back to towards the street, etc. etc. Husband upstairs doesn't hear a thing, not even a doorbell.


Just seems strange to me. Of course, the woman may well have walked out to the curb and waited for the person to pull up. I realize that there are possible explanations. However, the story, as it now stands, seems odd.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm puzzled how she was "dragged" or "fell" from the car.

It seems weird to me.

I do believe in being careful--but this doesn't seem like a typical Craigslist crime.

ETA: With the little information provided--this crime could have happened in a public place as well. There are just crazy people out there.

 

[Angelhalo]

I don't understand why she met with the buyer alone if her husband was home at the time

 

[Imzadi]

I'm puzzled how she was "dragged" or "fell" from the car.

Probably when the person got into the car, intending to leave with her $1000 bracelet, she probably reached in to grab it back and they took off, dragging her along until she fell from the car.

 

[FayeW]

It is very sad and scary.

However, how do you KNOW that there is a bracelet involved? Is it based simply upon a statement by the mother-in-law? Did you actually see the ad on craigslist?

The story apparently is: the criminal drove up to the house; got out of his or her car; went to the door; dragged the woman back to towards the street, etc. etc. Husband upstairs doesn't hear a thing, not even a doorbell.


Just seems strange to me. Of course, the woman may well have walked out to the curb and waited for the person to pull up. I realize that there are possible explanations. However, the story, as it now stands, seems odd.

Not exactly. She advertised the bracelet a couple of weeks ago. A guy called and wanted to see it. We live in a new subdivision so the streets aren't in the GPS, and he called several times as he was driving to her house because he couldn't find her street. The news over the last couple of days is that the police believe he either grabbed it from her or wouldn't return it and she tried to grab it back. She got pulled or dragged when he sped away. I am hopeful that the police will be able to find something with cell phone records, but maybe I just watch too much Law and Order.

 

[FayeW]

I have to agree.. Something doesn't add up.. And why did her husband remain in the house - upstairs? I think there's more to this story than meets the eye..

We (myself, DD and her DH) have been using Craigslist for quite some time now - with no incidents.. Not even a hint of one.. DD's DH handles all of it for us - including weeding out the scam emails..

Definitely a lot left out of this "story"..

I don't find this unusual in the least. I can say with some degree of certainty that my husband would have also stayed in the house. Chivalrous, he's not.The family rooms are usually at the back of the house, and with the TV on, he wouldn't have heard a thing. Heck, last night there were some neighbourhood teens out shouting at each other and DH never heard that, either, and they were practically next door.

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh god! Scary stuff.

Thank you!

 

[C.Ann]

Not exactly. She advertised the bracelet a couple of weeks ago. A guy called and wanted to see it. We live in a new subdivision so the streets aren't in the GPS, and he called several times as he was driving to her house because he couldn't find her street. The news over the last couple of days is that the police believe he either grabbed it from her or wouldn't return it and she tried to grab it back. She got pulled or dragged when he sped away. I am hopeful that the police will be able to find something with cell phone records, but maybe I just watch too much Law and Order.

I don't find this unusual in the least. I can say with some degree of certainty that my husband would have also stayed in the house. Chivalrous, he's not.The family rooms are usually at the back of the house, and with the TV on, he wouldn't have heard a thing. Heck, last night there were some neighbourhood teens out shouting at each other and DH never heard that, either, and they were practically next door.

The bolded part of your post on top is exactly why her DH should have gone to the door (or outside - whichever the case may be) and handled the transaction himself.. That has nothing to do with being "chivalrous" - and everything to do with being smart and not allowing his wife to encounter a stranger alone..

I still say there's a lot more to this story than what meets the eye - and Craigslist is likely being used as a scapegoat.. On the other hand, if it truly was the result of a Craigslist ad, shame on this woman's husband for being so careless about her safety..

Hopefully she will recover and the true story will be revealed..

 

[Aimeedyan]

The whole story is weird, and we'll never know what really happened until she is recovered enough to share her side. If the guy called multiple times for directions, and likely emailed as well, hopefully they will find the person.

Really, this incident could have happened in a public place just as well. He didn't go into her house and beat her up. It was on the street in a neighborhood.

Anytime you have a garage sale, sell something online, or answer a classfied ad you are taking a chance. The risk is VERY VERY low, but a risk is still there. Common sense will help much of that. For one, selling jewelry that costs that much shouldn't be done from the curb alone.

I've bought and sold things on CL and feel just as safe doing that as stopping at a yard sale or visiting an open house. The likelyhood of there being that many serial killers out there targeting people selling couches for $35 on CL is simply too low for me to get scared off.

 

[Imzadi]

The bolded part of your post on top is exactly why her DH should have gone to the door (or outside - whichever the case may be) and handled the transaction himself.. That has nothing to do with being "chivalrous" - and everything to do with being smart and not allowing his wife to encounter a stranger alone....

Some men just aren't Alpha males. If he's not even the Alpha of the family, it probably wouldn't occur to him to go with her.