Keen bidding at police auction

Press, 7 December 1978, Page 6

Keen bidding at police auction

' Whether would-be burglars were laying claim yesterday to the 15-odd kits of bolt-cutters, hacksaws, gas torches, crowbars, and assorted screwdrivers at the police auction of unclaimed goods, is anybody’s guess. Auctioneers said that bidding for the “handy little lots ’ was “hot and strong.” More than 260 lots of gems and junk were offered to about 250 people at the N.Z. Farmers’ auction rooms. The $4555 raised will go into the . Consolidated Revenue Account.

The top item, a colour television set, went for $495; a Sanyo tape-recorder and radio for $180; watches for up to $3O; rings for up to $lO, a bridle, riding boots and grooming brushes for $6O; calculators for about $2O; a fishing rod for less than $24; a box eff children’s

unused toys for $35 and a guitar for $35. A carry-bag of women’s underwear went for $9. "I’ll let you know how I get on,” the male buyer told the auctioneer.

Everything sold, even if the price had ro come down to 23c for bits and pieces of motor-cycles. Boxes of spirits confiscated from clubs were hotly contested. “That grog went for better than whole' sale,” said an auctioneer.

Some people had laid claim to the property, but had. not been able to provf ownership to the satisfaction of the police, said a police spokesman. The colour television set was an example; a smart brief case another. The items auctioned were either stolen or lost property that had not been claimed, the police said.