The Laval Police are advising those shopping for holiday gifts to be extra careful when making purchases facilitated by Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace in view of an anticipated increase in frauds by some users of the online classified ad platforms over the holiday season.
The LPD reported Tuesday that they recently arrested five suspects in connection with several armed robberies in Laval involving Facebooks Marketplace.
According to a press release issued by the force, between 2023 and 2024, similar incidents were reported in the Vimont and Auteuil neighbourhoods.
The suspects contacted victims on Marketplace to arrange the sale of electronic items, and the victims would then go to a public place with the item they wanted to sell.
At the time of the sale, the suspects, posing as potential buyers, would leave with the stolen item after the victims were pepper-sprayed to facilitate the suspects’ escape.
In some cases, the suspects also threatened victims with a knife, said the LPD.
This past December 10, investigators from the LPD’s Major Crimes Unit arrested five young men, aged 19 to 22, in connection with three of these incidents. All were questioned by investigators and then released on a summons to appear in court with conditions.
Searches were also conducted to gather evidence for the charges and for other cases related to the wave of armed robberies.
The December 10 operation mobilized several dozen investigators, including the LPD’s Azimut squad, patrol officers, the Laval Police’s Tactical Intervention Group and the Sûreté du Québec’s Tactical Intervention Group.
Prevention Tips
The Laval Police are encouraging residents to take these steps to reduce risks:
Use a neutral meeting place or a public space.
Also, preferably use a secure area for online ad transactions set up by the police at 2911 Chomedey Blvd. (the LPD Investigations Centre parking lot).
According to the LPD, the area is available at all times and monitored by 24/7 cameras. Conducting the exchange in a busy public place, such as shopping mall parking lots, can be a safer alternative. Also:
- Avoid meeting on residential streets or at private addresses.
- Never go to a meeting alone.
- Travel with a trusted person and inform a friend or family member of the time and place of the meeting.
- Never share your personal information.
- Avoid sharing your address, social security number, or banking information with the buyer or seller.
- Inspect the item before paying.
- Do not pay any amount before seeing and verifying the item. Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Keep evidence of the transaction.
- Take screenshots of the ad, the exchanges and the seller’s or buyer’s contact information before going there.
Anyone with information about this type of event can contact the Laval Police Information Line confidentially at 450-662-INFO (4636) or call 911.
