Full Notification

The Lafayette Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred on June 30th during an online sales meeting at the victim’s home. The victim had listed his car for sale and a prospective buyer met him at the victim’s home, where he proceeded to rob him at gunpoint.
The suspects are described as 2 African-American males, 28-35 years old, both wearing white shirts and jeans. The suspect vehicle is possibly a white VW Passat 4-door.

Please take a moment to review these prevention tips provided by the Lafayette Police. Without a doubt, online sales are an unknown. When someone calls about an online ad, there is no way to determine what their true intentions are. The risks are the same whether you are buying or selling something online. There are a number of things you can do to make the transaction safer for both parties.
· When meeting a buyer or seller, always meet in a public place and always bring a friend. It's difficult for crooks to ply their trade in a public place. It's even more difficult when you are with another person who is not emotionally involved in the transaction. When in doubt, meet in the parking lot of the police station or at one of our shopping centers. It's likely under video surveillance and there is a lot of traffic in the area. Vacant parking lots or remote locations are not a good idea.
· Never bring a stranger to your home or go to theirs. It just complicates things when someone knows where you live. Eliminate the possibility by doing the transaction in a neutral place.
· Always remove geotag data from pictures that you post for your sale. A photo taken with your smartphone may list the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken. If you take a photo in front of your home and post it to a classified ad site, you are giving everyone your address.
· Be anonymous. Always use the email account offered by the sale site, not your private email address. It keeps people from learning too much about you. Always post your cell phone number to an ad site and not your home phone number. Posting your home telephone number may allow the crook to find your address.
· Trust your instincts. If the sales price or the offer is too good to be true, it likely is. If you don't like how things are looking, walk or drive away. The sale is not worth getting injured over.
· Always take your cell phone with you. That helps to make sure that friends and family can call you if they need to check in on you. You have no clue as to whom you are meeting to buy or sell your item.

If you have any information regarding the robbery, please contact the Lafayette Police at 925-284-5010 (24/7 Dispatch). If you have any questions regarding crime prevention or services provided by the Moraga Police Department, please call 925-888-7055. Thank you for helping us to keep our community safe.