Winnipeg Police are cautioning people to keep their eyes open when buying or selling items online.

Const. Rob Carver says police have noticed a slight spike in robberies either by people claiming to sell items or those saying they want to buy them. 

He says none of the robberies have been violent and in most cases people are forced to give up their money or items through intimidation. 

However, he says that doesn't make the incidents any less concerning. 

"Sometimes the potential buyer or seller may show up with two or three other colleagues and they may be larger and more aggressive than you're used to and you end up giving something up because of an implied threat," Carver said. "It's not the sort of thing we often think about when we think of a robbery. It doesn't always have to result in a weapon produced or someone assaulted." 

Police say there are a number of things you can do to keep yourself safe when buying or selling something online, including: 

  • Ask for a photo of the serial number of an item before meeting with someone, to confirm whether or not the item has been reported stolen
  • Don't give out personal information such as your last name, where you're coming from and your address
  • Google the buyer/sellers name
  • Ask about the history of the item being sold
  • Meet during daylight hours and in public places, preferably places where there are surveillance cameras
  • Don't transfer or provide any money to the person before receiving the product
  • Don't meet with someone alone
  • Use generic photos when selling an item 

Carver also says as simple as it sounds, it's also important for people to simply trust their gut. 

"If something feels wrong, it probably is," Carver said. 

Carver says the best advice police can give in this situation is to simply be smart. He says following these tips will prevent robberies of this nature, because they are very much crimes of opportunity. 

Police Encourage Bicycle Registration

Police also took an opportunity on Friday to encourage Winnipeggers to register their bicycles online after the arrest of a suspect who allegedly stole a bike that wasn't reported missing. 

Const. Jay Murray says Winnipeg Police have seen a slight uptick in bicycle thefts in recent weeks, and registering your bike on the city's website can go a long way in preventing thefts and speeding up the reunification process if a stolen bike is recovered by police. 

Murray says a lot of people don't report stolen bikes because they think it's not worth police time. 

"We come across bikes that are never reported stolen because people think it's not meaningful," Murray said. "But I am here telling you, absolutely it is meaningful." 

Murray says the online bike registry is similar to registering a vehicle and identifying the owner of a stolen bicycle would be the same as identifying the owner of a stolen car. 

"When we stop a car we can run that plate and contact an owner and it's the same thing with these bikes," Murray said. "If we get that owner information we can contact that person before the bike has even been reported stolen in a lot of cases." 

You can register your bike on the city of Winnipeg's website.