Scott County sheriff's lot is 'safe zone' for Craigslist transactions

BENTON, Mo. -- The parking lot and jail lobby at the Scott County Sheriff's Department in Benton is doubling as a "safe zone" to residents for Craigslist or other website transactions.

"Since the parking lot is monitored 24/7, I hope this will cut down on fraud, robberies and other crimes committed through the use of these websites," Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said.

The sheriff's announcement of the safe zone comes on the heels of last week's news of the slaying of 19-year-old Taylor Clark, who went missing Monday while trying to sell his sports car on Craigslist in St. Louis.

Michael Gordon, 24, of St. Louis was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Clark, a sophomore engineering student at Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville.

Gordon is an employee of a truck driving training center in Hazelwood, Missouri, not far from where Clark's car and body were found Tuesday. Police also found Gordon's name in emails Gordon traded with Clark about the car Clark was trying to sell.

"We had been talking about offering the safe zone for awhile, and, for whatever reason, just got busy and hadn't done it yet," Walter said. "(Last week) we have been talking about what happened in St. Louis, and it brings it to everyone's attention, and I said, 'Let's do this now.'"

People who are interested in using the sheriff's department parking lot or lobby as a safe zone should let the staff know ahead of time what time they're going to be arriving to make a transaction, Walter said.

"Upon arrival, please enter the jail lobby and let dispatch know that you have arrived to make the transaction," he said.

Walter said the goal is to make residents feel more at ease about making transactions such as a Craigslist purchase or exchange in the publicly monitored place.

"If you're wanting to buy something online, tell the seller: 'We'll meet at the Scott County Sheriff's Department parking lot,'" Walter said. "If they don't show, maybe that's a sign something's not right. If it's legit, then they'll meet you there."

Pertinent address:

131 S. New Madrid St., Benton, Mo.