More Hudson Valley Towns Offering Designated ‘Internet Exchange Zones’

More and more people are taking to the internet, social media mostly, to buy and sell things.  While we still see the occasional garage sale or yard sale signs plastered on local trees and telephone poles, it seems people are finding it easier to post items on Facebook Marketplace, or other social media based buy and sell groups.

With these online sales, though, now comes the detail coordination of where the seller and buyer will meet up for the transaction to take place.  I've noticed that some people will designate pickup details in their post, 'pickup only in x town' or shipping available for an additional fee. For some sales though, it appears that some people are still coordinating a middle-meet-up spot, typically in a public place, to make the swap.

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Local Police Departments Designate Internet Exchange Zones

Years ago, the Town of Fishkill Police Department announced via a Facebook post that they would be offering a designated location for internet based sales transactions.  It was made public that the site would be under 24 hour surveillance and would be a safe space for people to meet up and exchange the goods they had sold online.

Since then, we've learned of a number of local towns that have implemented internet exchange zones, primarily at police stations.  Here's what we know:

• East Fishkill Police Department, 2468 Route 52 Hopewell Junction
• Town of Fishkill Police Department, 801 State Route 52, Fishkill
• Orangetown Police Department, 26 W Orangeburg Rd, Orangeburg
  • This Rockland County location has been designated a safe place for child custody and internet purchase exchanges*
• Yorktown Police Department, 2281 Crompound Road, Yorktown
• Mahopac/Carmel Police Department, 60 McAlpin Ave, Mahopac

While all of the above locations are in fact police department or town hall locations, and most indicate 24 hour surveillance, it is important to remember to use your best judgement when meeting up with someone you have purchased from, or sold an item to. Some people have shared in the local Facebook groups that even if their town/city police department doesn't have a designated location for internet sales parking, that they meet with people at the local police department anyway, just out of safety precaution.  Make your plans to meet during daytime hours rather than meeting after dark.  Even if you are meeting at a local PD, it is always a good idea to bring someone else with you and coordinate a payment plan in advance of meeting.