After an incident reported to police on Thursday, the City of Batavia Department is looking to become a Craigslist “Safe Spot” for exchanges between buyers and sellers. They hope to make it happen within the next week or two.
“We are looking into it, we are just in the beginning stages to see what we have to do to become a “Safe Spot”, says Assistant Police Chief Todd Crossett.
“I don’t think there is too much involved in this, we already have the surveillance cameras going, so its pretty much putting us up there and people searching for us.”
Police say two men from Buffalo were looking to buy a truck off of Craigslist, and when they traveled to Batavia Thursday to meet up with the alleged sellers on Sumner street, they became suspicious upon arrival.
The buyers reported to police that two guys approached them and they thought that they had a gun in their pocket. They then left the area and reported the incident to police.
Police then were able to make contact with the alleged sellers of the truck.
“We went back to the area and when the two suspects approached our unmarked, undercover personnel, we were able to take them into custody, “says Crossett.
TOMLIN SANTIAGO
Jaequele M. Tomlin, 23, of Central Ave., Batavia, and Quamane J. Santiago, 19, of Main Rd., Stafford were arrested and charged with conspiracy 4th, a felony.
“We discovered then they had two pellet guns or BB guns in their pocket.”
The investigation is ongoing and there may be additional charges.
Both are being held without bail, they re-appeared in court this afternoon.
Tomlin was also arrested on a City Court warrant for criminal mischief and assault.
“They did not have a vehicle or access to a vehicle and the entire advertisement was fictitious, they were not trying to sell a vehicle, they created the entire ad.”
Crossett says any Craigslist exchanges should happen in a public place so there are a lot of people around that can potentially help you or be a witness if something goes wrong. The area of Sumner street where the exchange was set up was not high traffic enough.
“Once you get on a side street in a town that you don’t know, there is a very good chance you just know the street you are on, not the streets around you, so if something goes wrong, its going to be difficult for you to call dispatchers to say where you are at, so that that is why you should go to a public place.”
Crossett says whatever you are selling, you do not want a stranger coming to your house.
“Someone legitimately selling something is not going to have a problem coming to the police station to exchange.”
If anyone has responded to a suspicious “Vehicle for Sale” ad in the City of Batavia, contact Detective Sgt. Kevin Czora at 585-345-6311