DELMAR — There is now a safer place in Bethlehem to exchange goods that are bought and sold on electronic marketplaces.
On Wednesday, June 7, the Town of Bethlehem and the Bethlehem Police Department installed an e-commerce parking exchange zone at Town Hall on Delaware Avenue.
“When meeting others to buy or sell something from an internet post or app, it is important to take necessary safety precautions,” Police Chief Gina Cocchiara said. “Our designated e- commerce parking exchange zone is under 24-hour police dispatch surveillance.”
The exchange zone is marked with a sign in the first parking spot closest to the east side of the Bethlehem Town Hall building at 445 Delaware Ave.
Town workers trimmed trees to allow better visibility for the surveillance cameras. The idea has been implemented in other towns in the area, and Cocchiara said she modeled it after what East Greenbush police established.
“I communicate often with other chiefs in the area, and we thought this was a good idea for our community,” she said.
Police recommend, if possible, exchangers should bring someone with them and offer to exchange money with an app instead of using cash or checks.
“If you choose not to use our e-commerce parking exchange zone, it is important to meet in a public place, well populated and preferably during the daylight hours,” she said.