The millions of people who use eBay and other auction websites will now be able to check the legitimacy of the goods on offer, thanks to a website launched this month.

The new service at www.checkmend.org works in a similar way to checks for second-hand cars through companies such as HPI. It allows consumers to cross-reference second-hand items with a serial or identification number against a huge database of stolen goods.

The website, which is a collaboration between the police, insurers, the mobile phone industry and Recipero, a data management company, means that consumers can find out instantly whether any second-hand TV, video, MP3 player, PC or similar item is legitimate or has fallen off the back of a lorry.

Each search costs £2.99 and generates a certificate confirming whether or not the item is not registered as stolen. The service is also available by text message so consumers can check goods that they find at car boot sales or market stalls. The text service costs £1 but there is no certificate. The website can also check whether a mobile phone has been blocked or reprogrammed.

Adrian Portlock, the managing director of CheckMEND, says: “A culture of faceless selling through online auction sites is increasing the availability of stolen goods such as iPods, laptops, bicycles and satellite navigation systems. Most people don’t realise that they could be prosecuted if they buy stolen goods.”

Commander Steve Allen, head of the Violent Crime Directorate within the Metropolitan Police, says: “If

a seller, auction house, buyer or repairer is found in possession of stolen property, then the item could be confiscated or, at worst, they could be charged with handling stolen goods.”

The CheckMEND database, a version of which is also used by the police, contains details of almost four million stolen items. It is updated daily by the public, the insurance and mobile phone industries and the police. Since its launch two weeks ago, one in five searches has identified items registered as stolen.

Raymond Johnson, a warehouse operative from Walsall, used the service when his friend found a mobile phone in his local pub. “My friend wanted to use the phone but I was worried he might get into trouble so I entered the phone’s IMEI number on CheckMEND. Sure enough, it was registered as stolen so I printed the certificate and gave it to him. He then handed in the phone to the police.”

Anyone worried about theft can register their gadgets, gizmos and other valuables free at www.immobilise.com. This police-funded website allows the authorities to track down the legitimate owners of recovered goods. It also has a direct feed to CheckMEND so if you register property as stolen it becomes harder for criminals to sell.