Arizona Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
By: James Novak, Tempe Criminal and DUI defense Attorney
Several Police Auctions are scheduled for the month of November 2010. The scheduled dates, times and locations can be found in your local newspapers in the jurisdiction for which the auction will be held. The auction schedules are also posted on social websites, and auction websites on the internet.
Many law enforcement agencies, including local police, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, and other State and Federal entities collect confiscated goods, lost items or abandoned property. The law enforcement agencies gain possession of items that result from arrests, forfeitures or other reasons. Forfeited property usually results from drug arrests where property was seized or confiscated; used in the process of a drug crime; or items purchased with illegal drug money. If an item was stolen and found, as a result of theft, and is unclaimed by the owner it was stolen from or their insurance company, it will end up at auction. Items sold at these auctions, include a wide variety of personal or commercial property including vehicles, jewelry, firearms, other weapons, tools, computers, other electronics, rare coins, antiques, art, boats, planes, even real estate and homes.
Arizona like many states possess laws that deal with how an auctions should be conducted. For example the law enforcement agency needs to publish a full descriptions of the items to be auctioned; date, time and location of the auctions; a particular time date and location the public can inspect the items they wish to bid on; terms of payment required, removal of property once purchased, terms of purchase (for example, no warranties), other legal disclaimers, and registration requirement for bidders.