Thieves traced through eBay
Published March 10th, 2007
icNewcastle - Thieves trying to use internet auction sites to sell stolen goods were last night warned they are being watched.
The Northumbria Police warning came after two people were arrested yesterday following an investigation into suspicious activity on internet auction site eBay, which led to £20,000 worth of stolen goods being recovered.
An investigation was launched after information was received about one particular seller off-loading large quantities of goods at knock-down rates from a private address.
Specialist officers monitored the seller and, helped by eBay, traced to an address to Sunderland.
Police raided the house in the High Barnes area at 7am yesterday and discovered £20,000 worth of hi-tech equipment and bootleg products waiting to be sold on the website.
The raid represented the police’s biggest haul of stolen goods in the region as a result of tracking suspicious internet activity.
The haul included computer software, games and equipment - including the recently-launched and much-heralded Microsoft Vista that sells for £220.
Also found were Microsoft Office programmes, anti-virus software, MP3 players, movies for hand-held PSPs, and DVDs.
Cut-price vodka, champagne and perfume was also waiting to be sold.
During the raid officers arrested a 33-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man.
Sunderland pro-active team’s Detective Inspector Graeme Rowlings said: “These arrests are a warning to anyone who is considering selling stolen goods on eBay. They will not get away with it.”
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