It's Been NICKED ™

Quentin Letts has written about us in Today’s Daily Mail.  We’re on page 36. An eagle eyed reader of this blog found the online link for me http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2106041/By-George-thats-unchristian-attack.html.

Yes, really.  This is why we started the site.

Our rural farm location makes us targets and this time the thief stole a menage light, one of eight.  The supporting pole was left behind, but the light and its cabling were stolen.

We’ve added a found category for goods found by the Police which need returning to their rightful owners.

If you are a Police Officer and would like information on using this category, please email help@itsbeennicked.co.uk

A film crew from BBC Midlands Today came and filmed a piece about It’s Been Nicked last week.  We don’t know when it will be shown, but they are hoping that it will be sometime during the Christmas Period.  We’ll let you know when it’s shown.

For the last year, It’s Been Nicked has been working with a retired Police Officer who has been doing an investigation of his own.  He contacted us because of an item that had been added to this site.  We were able to contact the person who had added the item.  We explained what was happening and passed on the retired Officer’s contact details.  We understand that contact was made.

A few days ago the retired Officer telephoned us to give us an update on the enquiry.  Investigations are ongoing but we understand that an arrest has been made.

A few days ago the son of one our founders was unfortunate enough to have his watch stolen in Spain.  We have recently trademarked our name in Europe, but we weren’t expecting our first European theft to be a member of our own families.

The item stolen was a watch – a 21st birthday present from the owner’s grandmother.  The owner speaks fluent Spanish and had got into what he and his friends believed was a genuine taxi.  It was white and was parked on a taxi rank.  Sadly it wasn’t a taxi, but a conman waiting to prey on a victim.  In this case, our founder’s son.

If you’ve ever had an item stolen you will know how long it takes to inform the police (at home or overseas), be interviewed, inform your insurance company and all the other necessary formalities.  Meanwhile the thief is long gone, along with your possessions.

The great advantage of It’s Been Nicked is speed.  Within minutes of the theft you can add your stolen item to this site.  A photo is always a great help if you have one.

Then, within minutes, your stolen item is identifiable and the message is spread, making it harder for the thief to sell on or remove from the country and making it more likely that your item will be found and returned to you.

It’s Been Nicked is now officially a registered trademark in the UK and the European Registration is in progress.

If you’ve been unfortunate enough to be burgled, how can you find your stolen items?

I remember years ago, a neighbour’s son finding his stolen tape-recorder on display in the local second-hand shop.  Fortunately he had marked the tape recorder, so he could prove that it belonged to him.

Many stolen items end up being sold online.  It’s an easy, anonymous way for thieves to sell their stolen goods.  If you purchase items through an online auction site you have no way of knowing where the seller really lives, or who they really are, as the chances are the goods will be posted to you.

So – if you want to try and get your goods back – search online auction sites.  Also search specialist secondhand sales sites – there are many internet sales sites specialising in selling second-hand horse tack, second-hand bicycles, etc.

Many thieves will keep your stuff hidden away for a few months before trying to sell it.  Keep looking.  Above all, make sure your stuff is marked in a unique way so you can prove that it is yours.

According to the BBC, many tractors are stolen and spirited overseas, where they are sold on. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10171117.

At the time of writing this, I have read reports of stolen tractors being sent to Eastern Europe, Ireland, Iran – in other words, anywhere out of the country.

These tractors can be worth up to £100,000 and represent a devastating and crippling loss to the hard working farmers who own them.

How can you prevent this?

• Never leave the keys in an unattended tractor, even for a few minutes.  If you need to “pop behind the hedge” – take the keys with you!
• Fit your pride and joy with an approved immobiliser and tracking device.
• Mark your tractor (all other equipment) prominently with  your postcode.  This acts as a visible deterrent and also means it can be quickly traced to you if it is found with the markings in tact.