Crime site by Corsham man gives a say to victims (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Crime site by Corsham man gives a say to victims

7:00pm Thursday 26th January 2012 in Corsham By Craig Jones

A Corsham man has launched an innovative website to combat theft and help recover stolen goods.

John Carter, 60, set up iamstolen.com, to aid the victims of robbery, burglary and thefts.

Those who have had items taken can log details and post pictures of their belongings as well as declare how the crime has made them feel on the website.

Mr Carter said: “People seem to accept that burglary, theft and robbery are part of life, but they shouldn’t. Crime has a debilitating effect on society and I want to do something to change that.

“As High Court judge Colman Treacy said recently, burglary can have effects of trauma far exceeding the initial crime.”

Mr Carter said he picked the name I Am Stolen as he believed it emphasised how victims of these crimes feel.

All details of valuables, together with serial numbers and any security markings, will be left on the website until they are recovered so antique dealers, market traders, police and insurance companies can watch out for suspicious items.

Mr Carter said: “I want to promote a change in moral outlooks, so second-hand shop owners, antique dealers and even someone being offered a cheap television or computer in the pub will look at the website first to see if what they are being offered is stolen.”

Mr Carter said smartphones make the website more useful as it takes someone a matter of seconds to check if the item they are being offered is too good to be true.

Users will log details through user names and passwords so their home addresses remain private.

They will then receive updates and information on their mobile phones.

Mr Carter said: “It is the job of the police to enforce the law and we will pass all information we receive to them.”

Visit www.iamstolen.com or email john@iamstolen.com