‘Trust your gut’: Police encourage ‘Safe Exchange Zones’ for meeting strangers to sell, buy online
Andy Banks' close friend, Cliff Cash, said he wishes it had never come to this. Similar crimes have happened in southwest Virginia before. If you do plan to meet up with a stranger to exchange items, police recommend going to a “Safe Exchange Zone.” Several are located across Southwest Virginia, including in Danville, Vinton, Salem and Montgomery County. Safe Exchange Zones throughout Southwest Virginia provide safe and well-lit locations to meet strangers to exchange goods purchased online. For a list of Safe Exchange Zones near you, click here.