Police Auctions

Learn the ‘secrets’ of police auctions – A retired police officer spills the beans on how save / make a fortune from Police Auctions.

Police auctions have long been around but over the last few years, people looking for bargains on Police auctions sites have increased quite considerably. This is mainly because of the economic crisis that most major countries are facing and people are trying the up-most to make their money go a longer way.


 

Buying at police auctions have been sought as an alternative of buying from traders or dealers mostly because you get much more bang for your bucks.

What is a Police Auctions?

One common misinterpretation of “Police Auctions” is that a lot of people think that items bought at a police auction may hide some dark secret or some fault which will be costly to get repaired hence why they are being sold at cheap price.

 

Well the truth is that these items have landed on the auction desk due to some of the following reasons:-

 * Items sold at a police auction may have been seized because the owner may have been found guilty to some criminal activities and subsequently been jailed and have all his possessions taken away by the police to be later on sent to auctions for liquidation.

* At a police auctions, you can normally acquire goods that have been unclaimed, stolen or recovered as a result of several operations carried by the different police authorities.

* A lot of items found in police auctions also come from individual police forces. Police auctions are sometimes held to dispose of vehicles and surplus or obsolete equipment that are no longer in use by the police.

Police equipment, such as cars, communication equipment, cameras and more will normally make their way to the police auction after they have been replaced with new ones or been upgraded.

Police auctions is a great way to grab yourself a bargain and those in the know are already making a fortune either reselling the products on or simply saving a great deal on things they need to buy for their personal use.

 

 Why is Police auctions held

Merchandise that end up in a Police Auctions are goods that have been confiscated, lost, impounded, subjected to forfeiture orders because of being considered the ‘proceeds of crime’ by a court, or taken into police custody for any other of a multitude of reasons. These items are stored temporarily at the Police Property Store in the UK pending any investigation or ongoing operation.

 

After a few months, the UK police forces will have to dispose of recovered, seized and unwanted items via police auctions as they need to clear their storage space irrespective of how little they raise from the sale of these impounded items at the police auction. Police forces undergo such measures as it is not financially viable to keep an ever increasing stock and carrying an ongoing inventory very often proves to be tedious.

 

 When are police auctions held?

Police auctions are normally held on a periodic basis throughout the year. Most Police Auctions are held on behalf of clients who tend to be Police organisations such as the police, customs and excise, local Police authorities, bailiffs, transport lost and found departments. A common myth that surrounds the Police auction world is that these police auctions are held in close and private rooms, restricted from the general public but the truth is that anyone can attend those auctions and even place their bid.

 

A lot of the auctions are publicly advertised in local newspapers and magazines as well as some of them have a presence online. It should be notes that there are no set specific dates or time frames for such auctions and keeping track of the ones that are currently going on or where about they are going on can be very time consuming and hard work.

 

Although there is a lot of resources around Police auctions online, what you’ll find if you take (or have) the time to research the police auction topic yourself, is that the majority of police auction related information currently available online has a US bias.

 

It’s of little use to us in the UK, so Police Auction Online is here to help. We’ve sourced all the relevant police auction information currently available in the UK, so you don’t have to spend endless hours searching through and separating the wheat from the chaff. To find out the forthcoming Police auction, check out Police Auctions in UK.

 

Where are Police Auctions held?

According to some, Police auctions location are a ‘closely guarded secrets’, but the the actual fact is that several UK police forces manage their own auctions online at ebay. Police forces in the UK have finally joined the online ‘ecommerce’ age and employ staff just to list items at ebay police auctions.

 

Check out these ebay categories that are regularly used by police forces in the UK to advertise police disposal goods for sale.

 

Others will forward any items of property deemed suitable for sale to independent auctioneers who will include these items into their Public Auction for sale.

 

One major problem is that the list of appointed police auctioneers is constantly changing. It is sometime very confusing to keep track of all items up for sale at the police auctions as well as the venues.

 

At Police Auction Online, we will advise you to sign up to the police auctions alert service to keep up to date with future police auctions in your surrounding area.
Probably the best alert service for the police auctions in the UK, giving users a huge advantage over others searching for bargains at a police auction can be found HERE.

Police Auction Resources

1. 
   Samy Says:
   February 28th, 2012 at 22:38

   Hi There

   I am very keen to learn about Police auctions in the UK especially as to what happens to the funds that are raised from police auctions sales?

2. 
   davidbx Says:
   March 4th, 2012 at 22:36

   Funds raised at the police auctions by the sale of seized and unclaimed property are either reinvested in the community.

3. 
   Boswell, Brooke O. Says:
   March 6th, 2012 at 07:37

   Often it does matter as to where the money gets reinvested but what is surprising is the amount of money that are raised at the police auctions and most of the time it is in the thousands as it normally varies on the items that are up for sale within that particular police auctions. If there are a lot of high value items for sale such as cars, vans, computers, motorcycles, these police auctions will easily reach a target of a few thousand within a month.

4. 
   Austin, Marilyn U. Says:
   March 6th, 2012 at 07:46

   I am thinking of buying a new car but my budget is limited to only 2000 pounds, so I want to get the best deal and make the best of the money that I got. Is it hard to buy a car from Police Auctions?

5. 
   Malorie Swefford Says:
   March 6th, 2012 at 17:21

   There is nothing that stops you from checking out your local police auctions. Although they do not advertise in obvious places, check out the Police near you section where you can find out the venues and timings of forthcoming events. Simply turn up on the day of the auction and bid for the car that pleases you. It is a good advice to bring someone who knows a bit about cars especially if you not an automotive savvy so you don’t end up buying a piece of junk J. You can really get some great deals with a bit of luck.

6. 
   Terrilyn Sehl Says:
   March 7th, 2012 at 16:29

   You, my friend, ROCK! I found exactly the information I already searched all over the place and simply could not find it. What a great web-site.

7. 
   Nick Ronaldine Says:
   March 12th, 2012 at 17:12

   I went to one of the police auctions last Friday night, which was near my place. I managed to bid and win on some of the confiscated items that were on sale. For 150 pounds, I bought a dishwasher, microwave and a washing machine and all of them in near new conditions. If you want to find the next police auctions to be held in your area, it is always very time consuming to start ringing around your local police stations to ask. The best way is to sign up for the weekly newsletter update on this site and you will get updated police auctions news, events, time and locations of all the coming police auctions.
   Good Luck from a Lucky Buyer.

8. 
   tenez sierra Says:
   March 12th, 2012 at 22:00

   I am interested in buying a 5/6 year-old SUV in a good nick. How much would I be expecting to pay at a police auctions?

   I am looking for a rough estimate is anyone has any idea and also because I work as a road trucker, I have only a few days off a month and going to the police station to ask for that is not really a viable solution. Any help please?

9. 
   Satyam O Simon Says:
   March 13th, 2012 at 07:24

   As the above post mentions, there is no set average price for vehicles that are brought in for sale at the auctions. One thing is for sure though. Car prices at police auctions are usually very low when compared to the dealership or sometimes even than private sellers. Two things to bear in mind are:-

   1 – the car does not come with any guarantee and hence it has a higher risk.
   2 – cars cannot be taken for a test drive from the police auctions. They can have the engine started and you can only wonder around the cars to check for any obvious signs of mechanical fault.

10. 
    tanie noclegi Says:
    March 13th, 2012 at 17:50

    Have you ever thought about creating an ebook or guest authoring on other websites regarding police auctions as a topic? I have a blog centered on the same subjects that is police auctions and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers would enjoy your work. If you are interested, feel free to send me an email.

11. 
    admin Says:
    March 13th, 2012 at 20:47

    Hey Tanie,

    Sure thing, I would like to take up this opportunity to send some vital information regarding police auctions to your readers.

    I have been a keen bidder at several police auctions and run a business selling stuff on ebay that I source out of Police auctions and make great profit margin.

    Will send you some articles that I have recently wrote and you can post it to your readers.

    cheers

12. 
    irene walter Says:
    March 14th, 2012 at 03:58

    Great service, great car, at very low price.

    I have attended Surrey Police Auctions twice now, although I am a complete novice when it comes to buying motors especially when it comes to buying at the police auctions, a lot of people have said that I am completely mad to try fate and would end up with rubbish vehicles that I will regret for my entire life…but that is far from the truth. On both occasion, I have come home with great value bargain cars and haven’t had any issue since.

    This has made me more confident to buy at auctions and all this at a fraction of the price I would have paid at a dealership or second hand car dealer.

13. 
    Noah Laflame Says:
    March 14th, 2012 at 13:41

    Bought a telehandler at 50% off original price.

    I have recently bought an ex-Council telehandler at the police auctions and haven’t had any issue. The item was as described without any problems and was clearly marked with areas that would need some TLC but in general it was in good nick. I would not hesitate in using Merseyside Police Auctions again.

14. 
    Cestero Louise Says:
    March 14th, 2012 at 19:21

    Cool… just bought a 4×4 at the Avon and Somerset Police Auctions and the vehicle is great to drive. Having spent only a fraction to buy the vehicle, I am very happy with the cr-v and would encourage people to check the auctions out in their area. Thanks for all your help.

15. 
    Raoul Safir Says:
    March 15th, 2012 at 05:08

    I am now proud owner of a minibus. Been thinking of doing the school runs business for a while now and having got a few orders, I thought it would be great to start with something cheap and police auctions was a great option for me. Spotters were very helpful and at the police auctions, there were a few experts present and they happily explained to me everything I needed to know to win the auction…well here I am now…a minibus in my drive.

16. 
    Percy Neu Says:
    March 15th, 2012 at 06:29

    I was looking for a van to buy in the Southern Area of UK for some time now and most of the dealership I have been too was either too expensive or wasn’t within my financial budget.

    Recently I was up in Scotland and met a few police auctions enthusiast who were very helpful in providing some excellent tips of how to spot a deal.

    Back in the south, I went to the Surrey Police Auctions and managed to get a great deal off the car that both suite my needs and my pocket.

17. 
    kurtish radolf Says:
    March 15th, 2012 at 07:43

    What else do Police Auctions sells besides cars and jeweleries?

18. 
    Anthony Gregg Says:
    March 15th, 2012 at 14:24

    Police auctions off any surplus items that have been in their possession for quite some time and instead of occupying space and collecting dust in their store room, they turn these items to police auctions to raise money while limiting their stock. You can find anything at a police auctions starting from pens, jeweleries, cars, bikes to anything of much bigger value like house and boats.

    Hope this help to clarify a bit more about Police auctions in the UK

19. 
    Tiffani Melcaby Says:
    March 15th, 2012 at 19:48

    Bought a Volkswagen Transporter 2010 model via Cambridge Police Auctions and was not disappointed as it was great value for money. I managed to save thousands of pounds by choosing not to go to a dealership.

    Great bargain for a great car. Although you need to have some clue about the kind of car you want to buy, police auctions can prove to be a bit intimidating as there is so much stuff and so many people around with so many stuff also happening around you. But my overall experience has not been too bad.

20. 
    Hiedi Chalmers Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 01:30

    I know a lot of people have had very good experience at Police Auctions but unfortunately some of us has also seen the bad end. I have bought some jeweleries from Police auctions at prices which I thought were bargain.

    They were at least 60% off the prices I have seen in some of the shops in the area but once home, I thought to take it in one of the jewelers for an evaluation.

    Unfortunately the only money I could get for them is much less than what I was expecting.I have been told that they are worth just for the gold as scrap but not for the stones and jewellery on the whole.

    All I can tell people is do their homework before going wild at a police auctions…as goes the saying….everything that sparkle….are not gold.

21. 
    Robert Yasser Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 07:39

    I am thinking of getting a car and have been checking some sites online until I landed on your site. There are a lot of reviews regarding police auctions. My question is that… are there really genuine deals at police auctions and I do not know too much about how the whole process of police auctions work? Which would you recommend…checking out police auctions on online sites or rather visit the live auctions?

22. 
    Rita Urison Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 08:20

    Hey Robert

    Police auctions are really a good way to get cars at very low prices. Although each police force have a different number of cars and model to sell, in most cases you can drive out with a great deal. The process is really simple and works as any other live bidding auctions. You spot the car you like, check it thoroughly and decide for the price you want to pay for it. But prior to that, I would recommend that you check out some cars online to have an idea about pricing and model.

23. 
    Vargo Asan Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 11:02

    My personal choice is to attend the auctions as you can spot so many other things that you would alternatively see online. If it regards a car, viewing the actual car literally would enable you to make the right choice and plus there is a great ambiance at the auctions and you get to meet so many interesting people who normally have great tips and advice.

24. 
    Theresia Allabaugh Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 14:43

    Are the cars present at the auctions checked or tested in any source before they are brought in for sale? Is there any warranty on the cars or is it just left to buyers to beware?

25. 
    Gareth Brooks Says:
    March 16th, 2012 at 17:24

    Cars are normally sold as is but in any case if there is something wrong, it will be mentioned and highlighted upon the auction date. Unfortunately as these cars have been obtained as a result of seizure or criminal offense, they would most likely be road worthy and would meet the safety requirements before put up for sale. Cars that are not conforming to the regulatory standards are normally scrapped.

26. 
    Adelaide Milano Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 07:45

    I have been a keep police auctions enthusiast for almost 5 years now. I started like everyone else … Hunting for bargains but then gradually became a keep expert as I rapidly found out there is loads of money to be made by buying at police auctions and reselling online on the likes of eBay and gumtree. I normally travel quite. Bit to those different police auctions venues to source out different products.

    I specialise myself in jewelries and mobile phones as the profit margin is great. I must admit that although most of the time I come back with great bargains, I do sometime get broken or overvalued products.

    The one rule that I normally follow is to use my phone and check the items that are on offer and do a quick check online to see whether there is a lot of demand for it. I eBay shows lots of bids and people following a product, I will judge it by their appearance for any visual fault or chip and then eventually bid for it.

    Good luck keep buyers and always triple check whatever you buy.

27. 
    Zachary Kuczkowski Says:
    March 26th, 2012 at 05:35

    Our experience with Police Auctions has been very positive in the sense that we have bought quite a few things from them and it is a great way for keyword to dispose of these items in the most ethical way.

    I would definitely recommend anyone who wants to check keyword to do so.

    Keyword is more than just the normal auction houses. Items brought in for sale are so different from previous weeks. There are many new items that are brought every time.

    There is no harm checking police auctions on a regular basis as you never know with what you can end up and most time you can resell the unwanted items with a good profit off eBay.

28. 
    Rafael Says:
    March 27th, 2012 at 16:43

    One thing to understand about the buying cars at police auctions as a business is that for a dealer to have an attractive selection of used vehicles to sell, they must get many if not most of them from an auction! For the general used car buyer, they will be trading in something that is far from front line quality. In fact many trade-ins are wholesaled out and not ever seen for sale on the lot.Now, if there is one lesson to ALWAYS do, any time you’re buying a used car, is to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS pay a mechanic to do an inspection on the car. Take a look at the question on here with this title Help with a dealership in my area who might be screwing me? This guy is learning the hard way. And, if there is a reason why this car is selling for £1,600 under value the mechanic may be able to find out why! Was it a Katrina hurricane salvage? What?? That mechanic MAY be the best way to answer the question. Be prepared to pay about an hours worth of his shop labor to inspect the car. Make sure he writes his findings down. That leads to the last item. . . .If you’re buying from a dealer, in some states they will have you sign a Due Bill which is an agreement between you and the dealer for work to be done to the car at the dealers expense. Whatever this mechanic finds needing repair with the car, MAKE 100% SURE IT’S ON THE DUE BILL BEFORE YOU SIGN THE SALES CONTRACT or the DUE BILL!! Even if you want another radio put in, it has to be on the Due Bill.Good Luck To You!

29. 
    Yollie Says:
    March 27th, 2012 at 20:18

    I just bought a 05 Ford Crown Vic last month for £4500 at a police auctions. That was the cheapest car that day. It needs work but I am a mechanic so I bought it. Average price for these cars that did not need any work was £6500 You can get a car cheap if you are buying the biggest piece of junk they are selling that day.For a good clean car expect to pay good money.