If you’re trying to track down something you’ve lost, it’s time to ask a policeman – online.

The new Herts Reunited service was launched today to try and help people in the county recover stolen or lost items.

The site is a first of its kind in the country, allowing police to post images of items they believe to have been stolen, or which have been handed in by members of the public.

The project aims to free up storage space, reunite people with their precious property – and get more crooks convicted.

Inspector Jeff Scott, who has overseen the project, said: “It’s really frustrating when we strongly suspect someone of stealing, but we cannot find the owner.

“It often means we don’t have enough evidence to charge them, and it means the person who stole will get away with it.”

Insp Scott, whose duties included managing the 30,000 objects – including clothes, keys, electronics, jewellery, bikes and weapons – which are held in police storage across the county, helped to oversee the creation of the new website, although the initiative was developed by police and crime commissioner David Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd said: “I asked for HertsReunited to be created in order to make it possible for people in Hertfordshire to find their lost or stolen property much more easily.

“If someone has had something stolen – or they want to report a lost possession or something they have found – then this website is a one-stop-shop to help reunite them with their property.”

Looking after so many stored items is a drain on resources, and the law says police have to pay to dispose of anything which contains data, such as mobile phones – but if owners cannot be traced any items can go for auction or are given to charity.

Insp Scott said: “The police have no legal obligation to manage lost and found – it is something we have done traditionally, but it is not our job.

“But we do try and reunite people with their precious property.

“It is nice when you can reunite someone with something they thought they had lost.”

Budget cuts mean some forces are trying to get rid of their lost and found departments – but there has already been interest in the Herts project.

For more information visit hertsreunited.co.uk