Dallas police hope a new option for residents can prevent crimes like the murder of an Arlington mother.
April Vancleave was killed while trying to sell jewelry to raise money for Christmas last December.
Over the weekend, police arrested Hernan Lopez, 33, for her murder.
Now, less than two months into the year and Dallas police say these type of robberies are happening about once a day.
Online buying, selling and trading sites like OfferUp, Facebook and 5miles are becoming a more popular way to make some extra money.
The websites are popular among consumers and police say even more enticing for criminals.
Dallas police say in 2016, there were more than 150 robberies, including two murders.
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It's a concern officers took to city council members on Monday; a pitch to protect the unsuspecting by devising a plan to create exchange zones.
"We looked at all aspects of public areas in the city of Dallas. So, we talked to cities across the country to see what other agencies are doing and we found most of them are just sticking with the police department," said Assistant Chief Paul Stokes with the Dallas Police Department.
Stokes says even public businesses can be risky.
Already in 2017, an online exchange victim was murdered in Dallas.
Police say moving forward, they'll be implementing exchange areas in division parking lots that will include more security features like surveillance cameras and better lighting.
"These are just tips officers can use to talk to these folks in these crime watch meetings, things you can do to keep yourself safe," said Stokes.
Dallas City Council members approved the exchange zones.
Websites, including OfferUp, have been working closely with Dallas police to help cover the cost of the security features.
