Don't buy cars on weekends

Top cop outlines don'ts of vehicle purchases

SSP Fitz Bailey of the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) has prescribed a number of motor vehicle transaction precautionary measures which, if adhered to by potential buyers and sellers alike, will ensure the safety of both.

Among the SSP's prescriptions is avoiding doing transactions outside the regular workweek. He emphasised, "Don't purchase the car on a weekend, so that it will afford you the privilege to do some background checks. So if you need to contact, let's say, the tax office, you will be able to. Preferably, try to avoid parting with your money on a weekend. Don't advance your money unless you see the car."

He also referred to unscrupulous individuals, 'briefcase dealers', who purchasers should try their best to detect and avoid. SSP Bailey said these individuals are "persons who do not have an office, yet they represent themselves as persons who can secure cars for persons, especially at reduced costs. You have to be careful of those types of people".

Bailey also advised that persons should avoid travelling with large sums of cash and recommended that manager's cheques or money transfers should be used instead. He also said persons should stay away from conducting vehicle transactions in lonely and remote areas and added that parties should invite at least two or three trustworthy persons to accompany them to a location where the transaction is to occur.

He placed special emphasis on what he described as the "comfort zone".

"Make sure you go with somebody. Don't go by yourself. Take maybe two persons with you when you are going to do that type of a transaction, or you can use the services of an attorney," Bailey said.

He also recommended a person's workplace and/or home as safer locations to conduct car sale transactions than on the road.