Police Auctions In America:

As the massive amount of criminals being caught in the US there are plenty property for sale to the public which has been forfeited under laws enforced by local , state and federal agencies. The property is normally available to the public through auctions, normally called police auctions or government auctions. These type of seized, surplus or abandoned properties are generally held in a public auction and recently have become popular through online auctions. There are an estimated 3000+ police or government agency auctions of this nature nationwide.

The items auctioned off to the public often are sold at 95% of their original value. In most local, state, and federal agencies sell to the highest bidder, with the winner having to pay for the property immediately. Taxes are also applied to the auction sales price. Also, seized property auction items are sold ‘as is’ with no warranty, no refunds, and no returns.

Police auctions remain a mystery to most of us… we see them alluded to on television cop shows and in cop movies but for the most part none of us really understand what they are, how they work or even why, where or when they get held. Police auctions, believe it or not, are an absolute necessity in order to keep running the law enforcement agencies that protect us. They started out as a quick and clever way to rid law enforcement agency store rooms, parking lots and back lots of stuff that they literally do not have any room for any longer. While all this was going on someone came to the conclusion that they could actually make a buck (or two or three) while doing this… and the rest is pretty much history.

Police auctions have become a staple revenue producer for their respective agencies and now routinely show up in the budget line of the fiscal budgets for running the agencies. Found money in its truest form… Confiscated goods and property are the backbone of all good police auctions.

How are Police Auction items confiscated? With the recent additions to law of various codicils which allow for goods and property which are present when arrests are being made. It seems fair when you step back and look at it objectively. Criminals sacrifice the booty of their ill-gotten gains when their hands are caught in the cookie jar so to speak. Bought yourself a stereo? or a camera? or a Lamborghini? with the money you got from robbing banks or that you made from selling drugs then don’t be surprised (or offended) when the sale of these confiscated items is funding increased police coverage to try and catch any of your cohorts, accomplices or similarly criminal counterparts.

Even the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) doesn’t stick its nose into these affairs. There are definite gray areas of constitutionality there… even the most jaded (or conservative) can see that… but for the most part these are waived or suspended in the pursuit of bringing criminals to justice. So, even though your local police precinct never really intended itself to be set up as an adjunct BEST BUY store, the need for this drives the commerce and money starts flowing to the places where the citizens would actually prefer it to go: back to the cops who help keep the citizens’ streets safe and free from more threat of theft and societal ill.

How do Police Auctions work? Confiscated property and goods typically sells for pennies on the dollar of actual value when police auction off the items they have confiscated in the process of arresting criminals. Cars, stereos, even houses get put for sale to the general public as long as they show up for the event. Most people have never or will never attend such an event but for those who do their thinking outside the box it’s an interesting way to purchase merchandise at a fraction of its value (and original cost) as long as you don’t mind “where it’s been” so to speak… A nice tidy little system which has now found a way to exact the ultimate irony: the work of criminals is actually funding the activities of cops who are engaged in putting an end to the activities of criminals. It’s almost perfect in its ironic symmetry. Police auctions make sure the cops are the ones getting the last laugh for sure.

Types of Agencies Who have Public Auctions of forfeited and seized property:

Police departments (Including Local Police, County Sheriff Departments, State Police, US Marshals), (USMS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration , DEA, and other government agencies and federal law enforcement agencies

Types of Government & Police Public Auctions of forfeited and seized property:

Government Auctions, Police Auctions, IRS Auctions, State Government Auctions, County Sheriff Auctions, U.S. Marshal Auctions, FBI Auctions, Government Surplus Auctions, US Customs Auctions

Types of Forfeited and Seized Property:

Seized cars, pre-owned trucks, SUV’s, abandoned vehicles, surplus vehicles, seized land and real estate, boats, electronic merchandise, seized houses, jewelry, unclaimed luxury items

Definitions:

Unclaimed Property: Money and other assets that are considered lost or abandoned after an owner cannot be located for a specific period of time.

Seized Property: Property which has been confiscated by a Federal agency, and whose care and handling will be the responsibility of the agency until final ownership is determined by the judicial process.

Forfeited Property: Property the Government has acquired ownership of through a summary process or court order pursuant to any law of the United States.

Surplus Property: Property in excess of the needs of an organization and not required for its foreseeable use. Surplus may be used or new, but it possesses some usefulness for the purpose it was intended or for some other purpose.

Abandoned Property: Property which has been abandoned.

If you have additional Police Auction ideas, comment, stories, or advice – please post comments and let everyone know.