The Kelowna RCMP are seeing an increasing trend of stolen goods showing up for sale in online markets and need the owner’s help in attempting to track those items down.
“Many stolen items end up being sold, and increasingly so online. Due to the number of online market places available—i.e. Kijiji, ebay, Craigslist, etc.— it is virtually impossible for the police to monitor them for stolen property,” said Const. Kris Clark.
“Victim’s of theft can, and have, helped recover their property by monitoring these markets, but it must be noted that the recovery should be done by the police.”
If you are a victim of theft, call your local Police and have as much information available as possible about what was taken, such as . serial numbers, make, model, description, unique identifying features, value.
Monitoring online market places could lead to the discovery of your property, which should then be reported to the police. By providing that initial information, the property may be recovered, identified and returned.
A few simple tips to protect yourself against theft:
- Lock your vehicle’s doors and windows
- Don’t keep anything of value in your vehicle
- Park in a well-lit area
- Keep your home’s doors and windows locked, even when at home
- Keep the exterior of your home well-lit at night
- Secure your jewellery and other small valuables in a safe, and secure that safe to the floor or wall in an inconspicuous place
- Maintain a list of serial numbers for anything of value and keep that list in a place not likely to be stolen (i.e. don’t leave the file saved only on your computer)
- No serial number? Engrave it yourself with initials or a word to aid in identification
- Photographs of your property can also be a valuable tool in the identification process
For online buyers: beware. By purchasing stolen property, you are, in effect, committing a criminal offence by possessing it. If you believe that something you have purchased, or may potentially purchase through an online market place is stolen, call your local police and provide a serial number for verification.
