'Lost or stolen' website an instant hit

A Whakatane couple have created a website that will hinder people selling stolen goods.

Bill Danby and Joanne Cunningham's website www.stolen-lost.co.nz (see link below) went live a week ago and five days later had received 65,720 hits.

The website can be used to list stolen or lost items for a $3 to $7 fee.

The items stay listed for five years and anyone looking to purchase a second-hand item can search the website free of charge to check that the item is not stolen.

Lost items, such as pets, can be listed as well and rewards can be offered.

Mr Danby, manager of Kawerau Hire and Chainsaws, created the website.

About 12 months ago some of his friends had items stolen from their home and car. He suggested that they try searching the internet because "surely there must be some website that lists stolen goods".

"We couldn't find anything. I don't know why no one had done this before," he said.

"It took us 11 months to get the idea off the ground and develop the website and, after all that time, still no one else had done it."

He said that his company, Stolen-Lost, was "going very well". "We have consulted extensively with the New Zealand Police to make sure that it is all done properly and they are going to be using the site as a resource.

"Second-hand dealers like Cash Converters are using it to check on all of their goods before they buy them and we are in talks with Trade Me about working together with them, as they have a lot of trouble with stolen goods being sold on their site.

"We have already had requests from Australia to start a website there. This is going to be big," he said.

- nzpa