Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley is announcing a new free partnership with OfferUp, a mobile marketplace, which also supplies law enforcement agencies with free signs to establish a safe and public way to buy or sell items offline. Millions of local item exchanges happen every day throughout our communities.  Successful buying and selling experiences rely on trust.  Unfortunately, over the past few years, the Sheriff's Office has seen an increase where strangers agree to buy or sell something from each other and have become the victim of a robbery and/or assault during the transaction process. 

 The signs are now in place to assist residents with a free, easy, and safer option. The Sheriff's Office has established a location at the Will County Sheriff's Office, 16911 W. Laraway Road in Joliet.  This location is equipped with green signage designated as a "Community Meet Up Spot" and is well lit and monitored with video surveillance.  If something goes wrong, the surveillance footage can help police investigate and, ideally, lead them to an arrest and prosecution.  This internet purchase exchange location also lets buyers and sellers avoid giving out their home or work address.  It is available 24/7, and is located in the parking lot at the front of the building. 

 The Sheriff’s Office has signed up as an exchange location on the OfferUp marketplace App, however, this location can be used when shopping on any other Apps or whenever a citizen needs a safe location to exchange items.

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