Gadget reseller Gazelle works to deter thieves

Thieves who steal iPhones and iPads are going to have a harder time getting rid of their stolen hardware thanks to a new partnership between Gazelle and CheckMEND. According to VentureBeat, Gazelle will soon scan all its trade-in devices against CheckMEND, a service that compiles information on stolen devices from the FBI, police, wireless carriers and others. If a trade-in item shows up in the database as lost or stolen, Gazelle will refuse to pay for the device and return it to the sender.

CheckMEND is a new service offered by UK company Recipero. Launched in the UK, the CheckMEND service recently expanded to the US. The company claims it is the "US's largest consumer electronics background reports service." Gazelle is the first US trade-in service to use the service.