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Crime & Safety

Where Does Greenfield's Seized and Unclaimed Property Go?

The Greenfield Police Department is using the Web to simplify and streamline the police auction process.

The Greenfield Police Department often seizes property from citizens during arrests. Many times, those items have been obtained illegally, either stolen or purchased knowing they are stolen.

Years ago, when that property went unclaimed, the police department would hold live auctions, where citizens could bid on items with proceeds going to the city. The department would be responsible for holding the auctions, tracking the purchases and distributing the inventory.

Nowadays, however, the Greenfield Police Department uses the website PropertyRoom.com to handle its unclaimed auction items.

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Property Room “specializes in the auction of stolen, seized, found and surplus goods and vehicles," according to the website. "Serving over 1,500 law enforcement and other public agencies nationwide, we offer a fraud-free marketplace with superior customer support.”

The site's auctions include valuable, yet often discounted items such as jewelry and watches from police departments all over the country. Vehicles, bikes and electronics are also available.

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Sgt. Michael D. Brunner said the Greenfield Police Department uses Property Room approximately every three months.

“There is no set timeframe for us, but we use the site as often as we need to,” he said.

Brunner said the revenue generated from the auctions is given to the city's general revenue fund.

The department has not only used the site for stolen and unclaimed merchandise, but also to cut losses. In the 1980s, the Greenfield Police Department was generating revenue by regulating the weight of trucks and purchased portable truck scales to handle the workload. The state then changed the laws regarding this service and prevented the department from earning money, making the scales unnecessary.

After about 20 years in storage, the scales were sold on Property Room.

“We sent them over, and they must have found the right customer for them, because they sold for some reason,” Brunner said.

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