Another Craigslist-related attack; are the deals worth the risk?

While great deals can be found on Craigslist, is going out
to meet a stranger for a potential bargain, or sale,
really worth it?

A Renton man was the most recent victim of violence in a
case stemming from a Craigslist posting.

KIRO 7 reports the man was attacked by
two people that contacted him about a pair of sneakers he
posted for sale.

The victim, who identifies himself only as R.J. under
fears of retribution, tells KIRO 7, “They’re bad people,
and they probably will do it again and have done it
before.”

He reports his attackers were two men traveling in a car
with two women. He says he doesn’t remember being punched,
but awoke bloody and bruised on the ground. Police have
not located the suspects.

“It’s hard to check people out online,” says 97.3 KIRO
FM’s Linda Thomas, in a discussion of the case on 97.3
KIRO FM Seattle’s Morning News, “Pretty dangerous stuff
when you sell stuff on Craigslist and then meet up with
total strangers.”

Co-host Bill Radke notes the victim, who met the attackers
at a community center, took the extra precaution of
conducting the sale in a public place.

“They didn’t even come to his house,” says co-host Bill
Radke. “They went to Renton Community Center. He did all
the right things.”

Radke says after interviewing the widow of a Craigslist
attack last year, he thinks twice about engaging in
online sales.

“Her husband was trying to sell a ring, and people showed
up and killed him. It’s really gotten under my skin,” says
Radke, who is choosing to donate all his stuff after a
recent garage cleanup, rather than deal with potential
problems of trying to broker a deal online.

“I didn’t go Craigslist. I went Salvation Army all the
way,” says Radke. “Honestly, I think it’s because stories
like this have really gotten to me.”

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News discussion on
Craigslist:

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor