Auction Saturday includes cars, bikes

Police will hold the forfeiture sale at 1300 First Ave. N.

By LAURA HEINAUER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 21, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- A water scooter, a package of 51 compact discs, a white 1992 Chevrolet Blazer, and a 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier complete with almost $10,000 in stereo equipment are among the scores of items up for bid Saturday at a forfeiture auction held by the Police Department.

"About 90 percent of the items were seized from drug dealers," said Detective Jeff Jensen.

About 150 bicycles will be auctioned at 8 a.m. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. outside police headquarters at 1300 First Ave. N. All other items will be available for inspection at 9 a.m. and then put up for bid at 9:45 a.m.

Minimum bids for each item will be announced Saturday, Jensen said.

Other items on the auction block include four Cadillacs, a 1989 Chevrolet Camaro IROC, a 1986 Volkswagen Jetta, a 1996 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, a set of power tools, a Toshiba notebook computer, and a set of Columbus commemorative coins.

The items, which were either used to commit felony crimes or bought with the proceeds of crimes, were seized under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act. Most of the money received from the auction will go into the law enforcement trust fund, which is used for department training and equipment. At least 15 percent will be donated to non-profit organizations, Jensen said.

Prospective bidders are asked to arrive early to register and receive a placard with a number on it to use during the auction. Police will accept cash or local checks with proper identification for items sold for under $500. A $250 deposit will be required for more expensive items; it can be a cashier's check, money order or personal check with ID.

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