Database being used to track lost, stolen property

Madison Township residents may now use an online database to help keep track of their valuables in case they become lost or get stolen.

According to a July 17 news release from the Madison Township Police Department, it began using a service called ReportIt, offered through LeadsOnline, in June.

“LeadsOnline is a searchable data base. The data entered are items, typically serialized items, by businesses — i.e. pawn shops, cash for gold, and buy sell trade,” said police Detective Thurston Svagerko.

The township is also employing the add-on ReportIt service, Svagerko explained. Besides offering police access to the free

LeadsOnline database, the ReportIt option allows citizens to enter serial numbers from their valuables into the database, themselves.

ReportIt is a free, secure online service allowing citizens to record serial numbers and upload images for phones, electronics, and other valuables, the release stated. That will greatly help the police

department accurately and quickly identifying the property if it’s ever stolen.

The release further states that residents can store an unlimited number of serial numbers, item descriptions, pictures and scans of receipts so items may be more easily identified in the event of theft. This record may also come in handy when filing claims with insurance providers in the event of loss.

Residents wanting to participate in ReportIt can register for the free service at reportit.leadsonline.com

and begin building their personal property inventory list.

Svagerko said detectives learned about LeadsOnline and its array of service options at a criminal investigation class and have already used it to successfully close some cases.

“(Madison Township police) decided to use LeadsOnline because of success stories of other police departments using LeadsOnline and to reduce the time and manpower of calling every shop individually and requesting them to

search their records,” he said. “I’m pleased with the amount of time that LeadsOnline saves during an investigation. In the short time officers have had access to LeadsOnline, we were able to solve a few cases, which included recovering family heirloom jewelry and stolen firearms that had been removed from Ohio and sold in West Virginia.”

The detective added that he anticipates LeadsOnline and its ReportIt service will prove valuable in future investigations.