STOLEN and found property is to be offered for sale on the internet.

The unclaimed goods, like mobile telephones, mountain bikes and even toys, can be bid for on a new auction website run by the police.

And it could also help victims of crime identify their stolen property and help people who have lost goods to locate them.

North Yorkshire Police is piloting the initiative and any money raised from www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk is expected to be ploughed back into crime fighting.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the force had signed up, but only on a trial basis.

The project is being overseen by Chief Inspector Nick Smedley.

"We have rooms, cupboards and even garages full of found property and also stolen goods that have not been recovered after we have tried to find who owns it.

"This has gone up for sale at a traditional auction in the past. But keeping the goods is a big administrative operation and we have to keep lots of records.

"If this works, and other forces seem to be enthusiastic, it will free up a lot of space which is at a premium," he said.

Police insist they will be careful about what is auctioned - goods must have been stored for at least a month. And any item spotted by its rightful owner would be removed and returned to them.