Detectives are probing internet fantasy world Second Life amid fears of a virtual crime wave.

The Metropolitan Police's E-Crime unit and Portsmouth University experts are trying to find out how many crimes, including fraud and money-laundering, are being committed on the site.

Detective Chief Inspector Charlie McMurdie said: "Millions are made in Second Life. Where there's money there's crime."

About 800,000 people in Britain have created alter egos called "avatars" in Second Life to buy and sell goods and services with Linden dollars that can be exchanged for real money.
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Dutch police arrested a teenager on suspicion of stealing £2,800-worth of furniture on the site A spokeswoman for Second Life's creators Linden Labs said: "We have in place sophisticated antifraud and anti-money laundering tools. We will work closely with any law enforcement agency."