Stolen goods

We understand it's extremely frustrating to see listings that you believe to be your stolen property on site, but we need to make sure we have the proper information before we’re able to take any action.

If you think an item is stolen, or that you've received stolen goods, we strongly suggest that you contact your local Police station and provide this information directly.

We have an established process in place with the NZ Police that needs to be followed so we can help. The police will contact us directly regarding any information they require to follow up your complaint.

Here are a few handy hints if you think you’ve spotted your possessions:

• Make a note of the seller's username and auction number.
• The Police will need to see evidence as to why you believe the item being sold is yours, so try and track down serial numbers, proof of purchase like receipts, photos of your item, photographs from the auction where you can identify specific marks, scratches, or modifications which match your stolen item. You should also include any other information you believe proves the item is yours.
• Take all of this info to your local Police station, including your Police file number from the burglary or theft event, and file a complaint about the item. The Police will update you directly with the outcome of the investigation.

Please also let us know about the item via the Community Watch button on the listing.

I've had something stolen, and I think it might end up on Trade Me – can you look out for it?

We have teams here to ensure Trade Me is a safe place to trade, but no one knows your goods like you do. Favourite searches are a really helpful tool for checking if your stolen goods have been listed.

What about old listings?

If you’re not having any luck searching live listings for the stuff that was pinched, the good news is that you can search expired listings too.

To search through items that are no longer on the site, click the down arrow next to the magnifying glass on the search bar and hit 'Search expired listings'.

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