ON THE second day of Christmas West Mercia Police gave to us the gift of learning how to avoid handling stolen goods.
With the majority of second hands good for sale being sold legitimately by rightful owners, officers are however urging shoppers to remember that if a bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The price may seem low but the real cost could be an unfortunate victim of crime.
Anyone who purchases stolen goods is not the legal owner and if the items are seized by police – you have no rights to get it back.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Judge said: “Dark nights offer opportunities for burglars and this helps to fuel the market for stolen goods.
“While the majority of stolen goods are being sold legitimately, I would urge anyone buying something at a car boot sale, classified adverts, online auction sites, such as someone in the pub, to show caution.
“If anyone suspects someone of selling stolen goods I would urge them to report it to the police immediately.”
Redditch residents can now protect their new Christmas presents by taking advantage of a special offer in partnership with SmartWater.
SmartWater security marks your property, ensuring that if the worst should happen – the goods can be returned to their rightful owner.
If a burglar is caught with SmartWater on them they can be linked back to the specific crime scene.
Anyone who suspects someone of selling stolen goods can report it to police by calling 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers by going to www.crimstoppers-uk.org or calling 0800 555 111.
