Police auctions in the UK are the selling of goods which have been confiscated from criminals. These items have not been returned back to their rightful owner within a particular time frame. Besides, it is done for the general public and includes some of the most bizarre items, including false eyelashes, cars, locks, electronic items, and tools.
This type of auction is not open to the public in several other countries, unlike the United Kingdoms. Read along to know more.
Why are Police Auctions in the UK held?
The Crime Act in the United Kingdom allows the police to confiscate lost property while investigating. Most of the time, it includes unclaimed items like mobile phones, vehicles, clothes, and accessories.
Since the police department cannot store these items, the officers try to find the rightful owner. However, upon failing, these items are sold off in local auction houses. All in all, it is an approach used by police to get rid of items found at a crime scene, seized items, lost property, or unclaimed stolen things.
The auctions are proceeded and handled differently depending upon the type of police force. Some police forces hold online auctions through websites. On the other hand, some auctions are held offline by auctioneers.
The money raised is usually used for charity.
Is it Legal to purchase something stolen?
The police auctions that are open to the public offer access to the stolen goods legally, often at a normal price. However, what a person gets in the auction is a complete matter of luck.
Moreover, purchasing stolen things from a police auction is okay but buying them from a dodgy auctioneer in a pub is a bad idea.
This is because in the first case the police force has confiscated the items. Therefore, it reduces the allegation of theft on the current owner. But looking at the second case, most things have been stolen by unfair means making their possession illegal.
The advantage of buying confiscated items is they are not sold at a reserved price and sometimes can be obtained at meager rates.
What can you buy at a Police Auction in the UK?
The collection of items that can be bought at police auctions in the UK is astonishing! All this ranges from small items like watches to large items like cars. It is just a matter of being at the right place with some cash so that you can easily buy these objects at an affordable price.
Items that are available at Police Auction in the UK are:
- Cars and commercial vehicles
- Boats and yachts
- Building equipment
- Bicycles
- Household goods
- Jewelry and watches
- PlayStation consoles
- Business equipment
- Plant and machinery
- Plasma TVs and Ipads
- Designer clothes
- Electronics like air conditioners and radios
Where are Police Auctions in the UK held?
You can find the police auction in the UK at any auction home all over the country. But that’s not it; you can also find it online!
While the mode of auction primarily depends upon the police force initiating it, the small items are to be collected from police stations only. One can track down the nearest police auction by searching them on various websites and discovering if they have exciting items or not.
Online Police Auctions in the UK
Bumblebee Auctions is the website for UK Police to sell lost and found, stolen, and confiscated goods online. On this website, a buyer can look at the photograph of the item they wish to buy and check its condition. Besides, they may also read a brief description of the product. However, there is one issue – this website only accepts payment in the form of Nochex.
Some police forces have their shops set up on eBay. These include the Sussex, Thames Valley Police, and Cheshire police departments. Additionally, the Leicestershire police department has categorized the goods based on how they were retrieved.
They also provide a postage facility in case of small items, but the buyer themselves have to arrange the delivery for large items.
Offline Police Auctions in the UK
Other than the above-mentioned websites, the police force uses physical auction houses in the UK to clear the dump. This includes Wilsons Auctions which have tie-ups with more than 40 law-enforcing agencies in the UK.
Due to high promotional and advertising costs, there is less awareness of where and when these auctions are being held. However, the good part is that these auctions are unreserved and free of cost.
Auction houses are perfect for selling large items, and the buyer can also take them away on the same day. An important thing to keep in mind is that the buyer might need to pay VAT on items purchased. One can also look at John Pye Auction houses to attend police auctions in the UK.
Summing Up
The police auctions in the UK are very affordable and beneficial for any buyer. No matter how valuable these items are, they seem a burden for the police force due to the lack of storage space. Moreover, they are willing to sell it off at any price they get in hand.
The GAUK Police Auctions monitor every police auction in the UK. It also inputs the data for items by uploading them daily in software.
To read more such news, visit the National News section of our website.
