Lowndes co. sheriff’s department installs internet purchase location

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Citizens now have a safe meeting place for any online transactions. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department is setting aside an Internet Purchase Exchange Location with the hope of preventing criminal activity during sales. If you decide to purchase online from Facebook Marketplace or another site, you can meet in a secure location. This decision comes after one man was found dead in Alabama. ” I’m thankful they did this for my husband,” said Bethie Jones. Jones still feels pain after losing her spouse, 45-year-old Michael Jones, in May of 2020. Jones was shot to death in Bessemer, Alabama purchasing an i-phone from an online seller. On Thursday, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department dedicated the new Internet Purchase Exchange Location in Jones honor. ” It warms my heart that they did this for us. It helps out and brings us a little bit of clarity about what happened to the situation. It just brings us a little sleep at night,” said Immanuel Jones. Dozens of internet buyers and sellers meet in un-secure places. Captain Dick Spann said this is one way for transactions to be monitored by law enforcement. ” It brought to light how dangerous meeting with someone you may not know or meeting with someone in an area you’re not familiar with is, and the sheriff thought this would be an appropriate thing to do and honor Mr.Jones,” said Captain Spann. And requesting to trade items at the sheriff’s department only takes a few seconds. ” When you go on the internet, and you decide you want to make a purchase, they’ll ask you a meeting location. You tell them you want to meet at the Sheriff’s Department in the front two parking lots space,” said Lt. Rhonda Sanders. Cameras will run 24 hours a day. If something happens during an exchange, the sheriff’s department can have evidence. Hopefully, more communities will include exchange locations to keep citizens safe. “I’m just remembering his presence and knowing that he’s not there anymore. I’m asking God to give me the strength to make it through. I miss everything about him,” said Jones. ” He was a great father to me and a terrific role model. No one I’ve ever known in my whole life that’s been that great me” said Jones. The Internet Purchase Exchange Location is now open to the public. Folks can also go in the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department lobby.

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