More than 1,000 stolen items have been recovered by police in the last two years as part of an ongoing operation in Wolverhampton.

Officers have swooped to seize around £250,000 worth of property such as power tools, gardening equipment, jewellery, mobile phones and dash cams since February 2017.

The city-wide initiative, codenamed Operation Magpie, has seen cops act on information and intelligence to trace and then return stolen items to their rightful owners. The force works alongside retailers and monitors online selling sites to catch those trying to trade loot, as anyone caught handling stolen goods can also face prosecution and a criminal record along with thieves themselves. Detective Constable Gary Thompson, from Wolverhampton Police’s Magpie team, said:

"Some of the property can be worth hundreds of pounds and expensive to replace, but items such as jewellery can have a sentimental value you can never put a price on.

"We have managed to ensure the majority of the items are now back with their rightful owners and it is always great to see the difference it can make to others’ lives when we do."

The team managed to return a large selection of e-cigarettes which were stolen from a business in Wednesfield last year. While the biggest haul saw 200 goods including jewellery and tools seized from a city centre pub. 

People are encouraged to ensure their property is secure and also registered on the Immobilise Property Register. This can help identify items which are stolen and ensure they can be returned once recovered.

For crime prevention advice visit the West Midlands Police website.