Anything that was on the shuttle belongs to the US government, and by taking anything away from where they found it people are getting in the way of a police investigation.
Things on sale on Ebay
Photos of the crew
Programme from the launch
Newspapers from the day of the tragedy
Potential purchasers were also warned not to buy, with the added warning that the debris could be very harmful to anyone who gets near it.
One auction site with debris for sale on it also published a statement, saying they were "deeply saddened by the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia" and that the "sale or listing of such debris is strictly prohibited".