Ebay is a shoplifters paradise....

soolin

I think some people are misunderstanding how ebay works and where private sellers source their goods.

I am a private seller, yet I have access to designer items which I occasionally sell in batches of two or three (not so much anymore as the prices don't make it worthwhile unfortunately). So using guidelines suggested in this thread that would mark me out as a shoplifter, I find that quite interesting.

Also, there are many sellers that I know and some on here, that have access to places like TKMaxx and the big factory shops where designer items can be bought quite legitimately, so they would again fit the pattern of shoplifters, selling branded goods still with tags.

Anything on ebay has the potential of being stolen goods, I think suggesting that any people selling in certain categories 'must' be dishonest is a rather blanket statement.

So far in the past couple of weeks we have had suggestions that 'all' small toiletry items are likely to be stolen goods, now designer items. Can I add to that books then as an aquaintance of mine is an author and a box of her latest books were sent via courier to a book store where she was due to sign the following week and were stolen. A vast amount of her books suddenly turned up on ebay but with different sellers, so it seemed likely at the time that they were 'hot' but she couldn't prove it as these books would have been legitimately on sale at the same time.

At this rate it might be better if none of us bought or sold anything on ebay.

Soo

chillipepper_3

Soo,

I don't think anyone is taking it that far. I trade in designer clothes, it's my core product and buy direct and from places like TKMaxx. Favouring the last as I can return unsold goods in 30 days if I can't shift without profit.

What the thread is saying is undoubtidly there will be a lot of stolen goods on ebay. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of goods stolen in this country were being sold on in ebay. My Q was what would you do in the situation of knowing? As well as pointing out that we surely do not know where the majority of the goods are coming from.

soolin

If anyon 'knows' of stolen goods for sale on ebay then the police must be informed. Turning a blind eye to the sale or fencing of stolen goods is an offence.

Whether or not the police will do anything is another matter and possibly the sort of subject that would need to be discussed in 'The Arms' as I think people will have strong views about it. However, a proper report to the police, with all evidence and copied in to the local MP should be enough for some investigation, although I would caution such a complaint unless there is real proof and not just a suspicion.

Soo

spor7y

I was informed about an incident which occured around a month ago.
A lad had his bike stolen and he spotted it being sold on Ebay.
He made sure he was the winner and when he went to collect the bike, he brought the police along with him.
Remarkably, the seller was only cautioned for handling stolen goods.
But I have heard of similar incidents where the police didn't want to know when a victim complained of their stolen goods being sold on Ebay.

angelcake

My friend picks up 'shoplifted' stuff @ police auctions! so she may have 10 of the same item etc!!

Swiss_Toni

spor7y wrote:

I was informed about an incident which occured around a month ago.
A lad had his bike stolen and he spotted it being sold on Ebay.
He made sure he was the winner and when he went to collect the bike, he brought the police along with him.
Remarkably, the seller was only cautioned for handling stolen goods.
But I have heard of similar incidents where the police didn't want to know when a victim complained of their stolen goods being sold on Ebay.

Why is it "remarkable" that they were cautioned for handling stolen goods?

Surely that is exactly what they did?!

chillipepper_3

Swiss_Toni wrote:

Why is it "remarkable" that they were cautioned for handling stolen goods?

Surely that is exactly what they did?!

I think the emphasis was on the word 'only'.

mike230652

chillipepper

I'm assuming you returned the suspected stolen goods then....cos otherwise you'd be helping the thieves to make their living?????

mike

Mandles

spor7y wrote:

I was informed about an incident which occured around a month ago.
A lad had his bike stolen and he spotted it being sold on Ebay.
He made sure he was the winner and when he went to collect the bike, he brought the police along with him.
Remarkably, the seller was only cautioned for handling stolen goods.
But I have heard of similar incidents where the police didn't want to know when a victim complained of their stolen goods being sold on Ebay.

thats great, i bet seller pooped his pants!..served him right. I was nearly burgled. Bloke came right up to my front window really trying to see in my lounge i was shaking like a leaf & went up to window and banged on it. He then said got any old iron? and rung the bell about 5 times & walked off...I was really scared (glad i was in though!).So any thief that gets caught out on ebay is great.

rrwfotr

Recently I've been working from home and on two separate days I've had two men (from a certain nation near us) trying to buy my car and do my block paving even though It already block paved. What got me was when I refused my car ended up with a key scratch on it.

Obviously these people come round to case the place over I dread to think what would of happened if I wasn't in.

What gets me the police are not bothered when you ring them to tell them of these suspicious activities.