Dumb Calgary Criminals

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Do people meet up at their home for things like this? Kijiji?

I would have thought meeting some place public nearby would be better. Wouldn't have stopped this particular situation I guess.

Yes, probably 90% of my kijiji interactions are at their home or my home. Free stuff just gets left on the steps. Payments are sometimes, just put in the mailbox, or in person.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Cardboard thieves usually have rap sheets.

Missed opportunity for a "wrap" pun here.

[chemgear]

Also reminds me of this robbery back when iPads were new. Thief grabs the bag and also tears the victim's finger right off.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/surveil...f-mans-finger/

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Do people meet up at their home for things like this? Kijiji?

I would have thought meeting some place public nearby would be better. Wouldn't have stopped this particular situation I guess.

For cheap or free ####, yes. We do drop offs at the door/driveway.

For expensive stuff, I usually go to more public areas.

I think part of what has made meeting up at a house easier for some though is that e-transfers are a thing. People don't think there's cash to steal and the seller feels comfortable at home.

I personally still don't like random strangers knowing where I live and knowing some of the stuff I have inside though.

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

For cheap or free ####, yes. We do drop offs at the door/driveway.

For expensive stuff, I usually go to more public areas.

I think part of what has made meeting up at a house easier for some though is that e-transfers are a thing. People don't think there's cash to steal and the seller feels comfortable at home.

I personally still don't like random strangers knowing where I live and knowing some of the stuff I have inside though.

Should have been wiser and went to a public place. Lesson learned I guess. Incident has been reported to the police.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Ferarri

Should have been wiser and went to a public place. Lesson learned I guess. Incident has been reported to the police.

Beyond malls and basic parking lots for exchanging stuff and sales, CPS also has buy and sell parking stalls at some police stations.

https://www.calgary.ca/cps/public-se...nd%20in%20cash.

Most people won't have an issue going there and it'll help weed out problematic people who do have an issue going there. A useful option if the person gives off a weird vibe as a buyer or seller. Sorry to hear you got a weirdo. Most transactions are fine, but it only takes one guy to make it suck.

[lazypucker]

While people on here say that conducting a FB/Kijiji sale with strangers at your home is safe, it is definitely not correct. This incident is a great example of it.

To the op, you are lucky that the guy only did a grab and run. I have heard stories where the "buyer" held a knife and ran into the house to rob the place...

I will never deal with people at my house. I will go to a public place like a mall parking lot where there are lots of people around

[bossy22]

when I sell large items like bikes, I go to a police station. For smaller, I meet people at Westhills. For free, I leave it on the steps.

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

While people on here say that conducting a FB/Kijiji sale with strangers at your home is safe, it is definitely not correct. This incident is a great example of it.

To the op, you are lucky that the guy only did a grab and run. I have heard stories where the "buyer" held a knife and ran into the house to rob the place...

I will never deal with people at my house. I will go to a public place like a mall parking lot where there are lots of people around

Yeah the downside of this particular incident... he got the empty boxes, but now knows the ipad is in the house. He stakes it out waiting for you to go to work, and knows he can do a smash and grab with success.

[Bill Bumface]

It's such a pain in the ass not being able to trust everyone.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

It's such a pain in the ass not being able to trust everyone.

For you, is that considered a headache?

I'll show myself out.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

While people on here say that conducting a FB/Kijiji sale with strangers at your home is safe, it is definitely not correct. This incident is a great example of it.

To the op, you are lucky that the guy only did a grab and run. I have heard stories where the "buyer" held a knife and ran into the house to rob the place...

I will never deal with people at my house. I will go to a public place like a mall parking lot where there are lots of people around

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

Yeah the downside of this particular incident... he got the empty boxes, but now knows the ipad is in the house. He stakes it out waiting for you to go to work, and knows he can do a smash and grab with success.

I get the sentiment, but what makes my house any different than the OP's house? He has an iPad? Isn't there a good chance that every house on the block has an iPad, potentially multiples if you have kids?

Sure, some houses are more "lucrative" than others when it comes to things you could steal, while others might be better secured with alarm systems. The fact that you listed something on kijiji and they came over to buy it makes little difference IMO.

Now, if you invited them into your house and decided to show them your art collection, computer room and entertainment centre...

[chemgear]

If anything, I would think it tells them that the OP has a new iPad model in hand.

[tvp2003]

Perhaps. Or maybe he's already sold it to somebody else?

I would also assume he's also not leaving it sitting on a table in front of a window for someone to obtain via smash and grab, but only the OP would know for sure.

[calgarygeologist]

I've seen a lot of similar stories to this lately involving phones and tablets. They meet the buyer somewhere to do the deal, the buyer asks to actually see the device and once it is in hand they take off.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

It's such a pain in the ass not being able to trust everyone.

I do get that, but I think trusting your gut plays a huge factor.

The only thing I've sold on Kijiji/FB has been scooters, motorbikes, and some antiques. I even gave the keys to one couple to drive a scooter around the neighbourhood to try it out, which in retrospect could have gone awry. But I didn't get a bad feeling about them.

Saying that, I wouldn't want some rando around my house if I were selling high value things - especially lots of something.

[tvp2003]

Phones and tablets (especially new ones) are probably highest risk, I guess I can see going to a public location or police station for something like that.

My old hockey equipment? Kids winter boots? The chairs collecting dust in my basement? Yup, we’ve got plenty of stuff like that.

I think I’ve joked here before — potential thieves probably see the POS cars parked in our driveway and quickly move along to the next house

[dubc80]

I hardly ever meet anyone in person. I leave things outside for them to grab or try-on, even when we're home. I think the highest value item we have sold this way was $120.

With that being said, none of the stuff we sell are high theft items like tablets or phones.

If someone steals a big bag of kids clothes off my doorstep and doesn't leave the required $10, I'd probably just consider it a donation to someone who obviously needed it more than us.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I do get that, but I think trusting your gut plays a huge factor.

Absolutely. I just more meant that I wish people weren't scumbags, because life is so so much easier for everyone if we're not busy putting up security cameras, meeting people for sales in public places, hiding our personal information online etc. So much wasted effort, thought and anxiety because of the dinks out there.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I just more meant that I wish people weren't scumbags

Oh, sweet summer child.