Police department lobby open for buying, selling

The Columbia Police Department is open for residents to use as a meeting place when buying and selling items to other people.

As websites like Craigslist, Facebook’s Marketplace and apps like Let Go and Offer Up gain popularity, more and more people are using them to buy gently used furniture, technology and other items.

CPD offers their lobby as a place for people to meet safely.

On Tuesday, a man was allegedly robbed while trying to sell a rifle. According to a person claiming to be the victim’s brother, the buyer and seller arranged to meet on Leeway Drive. The would-be buyer allegedly hit the victim in the face with a pistol before stealing the rifle and driving away in a white Ford Taurus.

Columbia Police say the lobby is open and monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week for safe exchanges.

The Jefferson City Police Department lobby is not designated an exchange location. However, Captain Doug Shoemaker told ABC 17 News it is a public place and they could not prohibit people from meeting there to make such exchanges.