Detecting Under the Microscope: Grave Robbing at Catterick

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Over on the BAJR website the discussion goes on about using metal detecting finds as archaeological data. One member adds the following:

Screening the web sales sites would add unreported data, it's amazing how often the vendors are quite happy to blatently give the provenance of the plundered booty. We (local archaeologists, EH, the police etc) know there's an Anglian cemetery being dug out somewhere around Catterick cos thats what's tagged on all the finds for sale on the web (which include non-metal beads etc so we know they're taking a spade to burials), so its possible to add a vague spot to distribution maps and even get some idea of date etc, just would be nice to know exactly where it is and get it either protected in some way or dug properly.

I really think comment is superfluous. Especially as these finds have been continuously augmented on eBay now for coming up to a decade as far as I am aware. See how useless British law is at protecting sites? You cannot touch them for it, "it's legal innit?"