Toronto police warn of thefts involving Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace sales

Selling things you no longer need directly to another person, without a middle man involved, can be a great way to make easy cash and help cut back on waste going into landfills — but it's not always safe to do.

The Toronto Police Service issued a public safety alert Tuesday morning to warn prospective Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace sellers about "numerous calls for thefts" at one particular trade location in North York. 

"Between December 2021 and January 5, 2023, officers have responded to numerous calls for thefts at Gulfstream Public School, located at 20 Gulfstream Rd," reads the alert.

"It is reported that sellers post an advertisement on Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace looking to sell small electronics. Potential buyers make arrangements with the sellers to meet at Gulfstream Public School."

Once at the school, the seller and buyer meet up, at which point police say, "the buyer then grabs the electronic(s) from the seller" and flees the area "without providing payment for the item(s)."

Police believe that there are multiple suspects involved and are urging everyone to use caution when meeting to buy or selling an item online.

"A few tips to consider when purchasing or selling items from online advertisements," reads the safety alert issued Tuesday. "Meet in a public, busy area where security cameras are present, attend the location with a second person, [and] request to view identification prior to handling any items."

Anyone with information about the recent thefts at Gulfstream Public School is asked to contact police at 416-808-3100, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.