Police invite public to property auction

This Saturday, 4 June 2005, police will be auctioning a wide range of recovered stolen and found property at Philip Brothers Auction House on Bearley Road, Snitterfield. The auction is open for viewing from 9am, with the actual auction starting at 10am when hundreds of lots go under the hammer.

The auctions are held twice a year around May/June and November to clear the large quantity of items police accumulate in their stores during the course of their duties. Items are sent for auction from Rugby, Bedworth, Leamington, Kenilworth, Nuneaton, Warwick, Southam, Stratford, Shipston, Wellesbourne, and Alcester.

Glyn Gardner who helps coordinate the auction from within Warwickshire Police said

"Ideally we'd like to reconcile every item back to its original owner, but in practice this isn't always possible because items are not always marked very well. Therefore every six months or so we have to clear our stores and we do this by auction.

"Items in the auction include a large number of mountain bikes, bmx bikes, racing bikes and ladies and children's bikes in a variety of sizes. For those who enjoy sport, there are three golf bags with assorted clubs to bid for as well as a fishing rod.

"If gardening and DIY is more your thing, we have a garden shredder, lots of strimmers and power tools including drills, cordless drills, and brand new Bosch sanders, electric Bosch planer and Bosch drill. Electrical items like these are usually the most sought after."

But you never quite know what's going to be for sale until you look around. Collectors may be interested in unusual items such as an old brass telescope in a wooden box or the bird of prey figurines. Those in need of transport may decide to bid for a motorised two wheel black scooter that is missing the ignition key so would need the attention of a lock smith.

Parents of young children may pick up a bargain as there are ten bags full of brand new clothing to fit new babies through to 1-2 year olds and a selection of children's t-shirts and tops for slightly older children.

If you are in need of a bit of pampering we have a large assortment of brand new perfume, toiletries and cosmetics, and a selection of gold and silver jewellery, and ladies and gents watches.

Glyn added

"If an item is particularly valuable such as an expensive gold watch, or unusual, we appeal for the owner to come forward through the media. We'd also do this if it was a specialist item that not everyone would have.

"If someone turns up at the auction and spots an item they have had stolen, the auctioneer would immediately remove it from the sale and we would make enquiries to establish the claim. This did happen once with a cycle we had in the sale.

"Not everything can be auctioned and we give a lot of things to charities such as Oxfam and the Salvation Army, including good quality clothing and unwanted mobile phones.

"We also support Tool Aid which accepts damaged tools, typewriters and knitting machines and restores them to their original state before sending them out to the Third World.

"We give damaged cycles to The Inside Out Trust who work with the inmates at Long Lartin prison to restore them. Through this programme, the Trust helps raise both the inmates skills and self-esteem."

The money generated from the auction goes into a Property Fund, which is legislated for under the Police Property Act, Regulation 1997. Once the costs of administering the auction are deducted - this must be no more than 50% of the money raised, the remainder is used to make charitable donations to a registered charity at the choice of the Police Authority and Chief Constables. In the past these have included The Royal Humane Society, Child Victims of Crime, and Association of Wheelchair Children.