'Hot' hot-tub on auction block

Something was different about the Maryland State Police property facility when spokesman Greg Shipley ducked in last month to stay dry in a rain storm.

The Jessup area warehouse, usually packed with recovered stolen and seized electronics, bicycles, jewelry and other contraband, was practically empty.

In May, state and county police joined about 1,500 police departments nationwide in a partnership with www.propertyroom.com, an eBay-style, auction Web site where forfeited property is auctioned off to the highest bidder. The business was founded in 1999 by former police officers, according to the Web site.

Now every month, the agencies can clear the shelves of their property warehouses to be auctioned online, said Kim Natcher, who for eight years has managed property for county police. It's easier to keep track of how much money each item brings in, she said.

And the auction Web site could help bring in more money, said Mr. Shipley.

Throughout the year, troopers at the 23 barracks across the state, and county police collect hundreds of items. Usually, it is recovered stolen or found property that is not claimed, or has been forfeited to the state through court order, state police said.

Property ranges from common garden tools and laptop computers to more unusual items, like cow hides and cuckoo clocks, Mr. Shipley said. A "very nice" snow board and fishing poles were part of the first shipment of items county police sent to the auction Web site. They've also had a stolen hot tub come through the property room.

Police make every effort to return stolen property to its rightful owner. If the owner can't be found, the agencies store the items in their own warehouse for 60 days - then it can be auctioned, Ms. Natcher said.

In the past, Anne Arundel police have relied on Baltimore Auction Company to sell off unclaimed items at advertised auctions about seven times per year. And state police previously held an annual auction, open only to those who registered beforehand, Mr. Shipley said.

"The annual auctions involve a lot of effort to publicize and advertise in the paper, and put it together," he said. "It was a lot of work."

On average, state police had 400 registered bidders per year, and would have netted about $30,000 from auctions. The money from the annual auction went into the state's general fund. County police contribute their earnings from their auctions to the Anne Arundel general fund, Ms. Natcher said.

Now, police are hoping the increased exposure of having items listed on the 24-hour auction site will bring in even more money for property.

"Before it was just so limited," Ms. Natcher said. "You could look in the paper under the auction part and see one was coming up. But they were few and far between. Unless you're an avid person who likes to go to these auctions, you'd miss it."

Mr. Shipley said the new method "… Will possibly provide a better income or return on the property being sold because of the wider audience," Mr. Shipley said.

Both county and state police have sent one shipment to the company, and are happy with the results.

"Propertyroom.com is very efficient," Ms. Natcher said. "They come around every month and they follow up to see how much you'll have. Then they'll give you a call the week prior and give a date and time of pickup. They are in constant communication with the department."

County police sent 10 boxes of items this month.

"This time, I think we have another 10 to 12 boxes already," Ms. Natcher said. "We have a couple guitars - items like that."

After it's picked up, the property will be tested, photographed and listed on the Web site, which is updated with new items daily.

Once the item is sold, www.propertyroom.com will take a small percentage as an auction fee, and send a check to each police department.

Ms. Natcher said she likes being able to keep an eye on the county's items through the Web site, and see how much they're selling for. Before, she had no idea how money was brought in for each item. She just got one big check at the end.

The more-frequent auctions make much-needed room at property warehouses.

"It's good they come every month - it does free up a lot of space," she said. " … I think they should have done this a long time ago."