Bay Area Woman Shot At During Online Sale Meet Up, San Ramon PD Has Advice

In the Bay Area today, a potential buyer opened fire on a woman trying to sell a camera through an online posting in San Francisco's Ingleside Heights neighborhood on Tuesday, police said.

The 30-year-old woman arranged to meet up at about noon in the 100 block of Monticello Street to sell the camera.

But as the buyer, a man in his early 20s, approached her as she was sitting in her car there, she noticed he had a gun in his hand and fled, police said.

As she drove away, the man shot at her, hitting her vehicle but missing her. She got away unharmed but the suspect remains at large, police said.

The number of online sale crimes have increased substantially throughout Northern California, popping up on police call logs and alerts regularly.

Patch asked San Ramon Police Department how residents can protect themselves from becoming a victim when selling items online and they said the police department parking lot is a welcomed place to meet up.

"The best advice we give for these situations is to meet in a open, public place and, to bring someone with them. In fact, I've told people several times, they are more than willing to meet in the parking lot of our police department. Simply asking someone to meet in front of a police station will discourage almost anyone who is planning on committing a crime. Police Department parking lots are public places and anyone is welcome to utilize our lot if they are worried about safety."

Thank you Lt. Denton Carlson of San Ramon Police Department for the great piece of advice.

Bay City News contributed to this article.

Photo via morgueFile