Don't Overlook Auctions of Seized and Surplus Property When You're Bargain Hunting

Government auctions and police auctions consist mainly of seized property and surplus merchandise that come from many sources. What is seized property? Most states have "seizure laws" in place. These laws allow law enforcement agencies to seize property that was used to commit a crime, such as a car or truck used to transport stolen goods or illegal drugs, as well as any real property that was bought with money acquired from the commission of a crime. If a drug lord uses the money he acquires from drug trafficking to buy a car, truck, boat, even a house, they come under the "seizure law" and will be confiscated. Furniture, jewelry, art...all can be seized.

The scope and quantity of seized and surplus property offered for auction is staggering. You can buy aircraft, boats, cars, trucks, tents, engine parts and accessories, clothing, computer equipment, recyclables like copper, iron, steel, aluminum and paper, houses, farms, acreage, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, hardware, tools, medical equipment, household furniture, boats...the list goes on and on. Anything you can imagine can probably be bought at a government auction or police auction, usually for pennies on the dollar.

Some surplus merchandise is simply that, equipment that is no longer used by the government, either through obsolescence or because of overstocking. You will also find unclaimed property showing up in government auctions and police auctions. One source of unclaimed property is merchandise that makes its way into the hands of the police from citizens who turn in found goods in the hopes that the police can find the real owner. Another source of auction merchandise is stolen, unidentified goods found in the possession of thieves. Sometimes law enforcement will find they have an entire warehouse full of stolen property with no way to identify the owners. After exhausting all avenues to return the stolen goods to the rightful owners, any unclaimed property goes into a government auction.

Government auctions and police auctions are held at all, from the federal government down to your local city government. How do you find these auctions? The answer is simple. There are several web sites that offer this information to the public. Simply take out a membership on one of these sites and you will have access to a full listing of government auctions where you can purchase goods at up to 90% off retail prices. Since there are so many auctions, you want to join a site that has the largest and most up-to-date database. A good source of information about Government Auction and Police Auction web sites, which rates them from the best to the worst, can be found at Government Auction Site Reviews.