Scouring the local wreckers, keeping an eye on the local classifieds and
getting involved in a car club are sure-fire approaches to find bargain bit'n'pieces for your ride. But there is one resource that
you're forgetting - the world of stolen and recovered
auctions.
Background of the Items
The items for sale at stolen and recovered auctions are sourced through the
local police department. Items may have been lost and found, stolen or maybe
just retrieved from the boot of a car. All of these items have been held by the
police for a number of months but have not been claimed by the original owner;
the original owner has often replaced their missing possessions following an
insurance payout. After being stored, the items are then sent to a private
auction house to be sold.
Finding Out Where and When These Auctions Are Held
The time and whereabouts of stolen and recovered goods auctions can be found
by searching under "Auctions" in your local telephone directory or by performing
a web search. Some auction companies advertise their upcoming stolen and
recovered auctions on the radio etc.
Evans Clarke Dominion Auctions in Adelaide handle the items forwarded by the
South Australian Police Department and conduct a stolen and recovered auction
every four to six weeks. It is normal practice for the auction to be scheduled
on a Friday morning, with two separate goods inspection times prior. Goods
are displayed for inspection on the Thursday afternoon before the auction and in
the hour leading up to the auction on Friday morning. The auction typically
commences at 10am.
We recommend inspecting the items the day before the auction. This gives you
time to research the value of any items you might be interested in - the last
thing you want is to go into the auction and pay too much!
Note that most of the larger items can be physically inspected on-site but
many smaller items - such as mobile phones and hand-held GPS units - are locked
in glass cabinets. These cabinets are not opened under any circumstances, even
if you're interested on bidding on a particular item.
Everything is purchased
completely as-is and as-you-see-it.
Typical Auction Items
Car audio equipment is usually plentiful at stolen and recovered auctions.
The auction we attended had a 10-inch subwoofer in a fancy twin-port Perspex
enclosure, an array of car speakers (including late-model Pioneer 4-way 6 x 9s),
a high-power 4-channel Pioneer amplifier, a loose CD stacker unit and various
UHF and 27meg radios.
Wheels and tyres are also common items through the auction house. This pile
comprises a set of deep-dish Simmons wheels, factory alloys, polished 17s with
hi-po tyres and some 15-inch Auscar rims. It helps if you have a PCD chart to
identify if a particular set of wheels will fit your car.
This photo shows a Holden VL Calais interior trim and seats together with the
factory alloy wheels. This particular auction also had a full VT-series body kit
and a brand new HSV centre muffler (which, curiously, had no inlet or outlet
pipes!).
If your home workshop looks a bit sad you will also find a host of
second-hand gear to improve the situation. A tungsten light, welding equipment,
angle grinders, drills and various hand tools were present at the auction we
attended. Similar items are auctioned on a regular basis.
You might also be interested in stuff like a hand-held GPS, home audio and
entertainment gear, mobile phones and more. Motorcycles and scooters also pop up
from time to time, but complete cars go into a separate auction.
Note that all items are sold in a "lot". A lot can be either an
individual item or several items bunched together, depending on their value or
whether it's appropriate to group them together. For example, a component home
sound system is likely to be auctioned complete in one lot. Most auto-related
items are sold individually.
How to Bid
If you've inspected the items on the afternoon prior to the auction, make
sure you return to the auction facility comfortably before the auction start
time the next day.
The first step is to obtain a bidding registration form, which requires your
name, address and other personal details. Once you've handed over your completed
registration form you will receive the all-important buyer's number sheet. "If
you intend to bid you must have a buyer's number sheet," says Ian Newell
of Evans Clarke Auctions.
That's the pre-auction stuff out the way.
Make your way to the bidding area and, if possible, secure a prominent
position - there's no point being buried down the back where the auctioneer
can't see you. At the scheduled start time, the auctioneer will commence
proceedings by briefly explaining the auction process. Listen carefully if
you're a first-timer.
Then you're into it!
With an average of 150 lots auctioned per hour, things happen pretty quickly.
The auctioneer commences bidding on each lot at an amount that they nominate
and, in most instances, the bidding goes up from there. However, in some
instances, the auctioneer will be forced to lower their commencing price until
there is somebody willing to make a bid.
Note that there is no reserve value in stolen and recovered auctions.
The minimum bidding increment in stolen and recovered auctions is $5. At the
auction we attended there were 150 - 200 bidders present but typically
less than 5 people were bidding on any particular lot. To make a bid, you simply
raise your arm - the auctioneer or their assistant 'spotter' will almost
certainly see you. If nobody out-bids you and the hammer drops on a lot the
auctioneer will then ask to see your bidding number. Your bidding number is
recorded.
Once you've successfully bid on a particular lot you are free to leave the
bidding area - you don't have to stay until the end of the auction. Try not to
be disruptive as you exit, though. It's a good idea to start moving immediately
after the hammer has dropped on a particular lot.
Payment
Evans Clarke Dominion Auctions accept EFTPOS, credit card, bank cheques or cash
payment. Note, though, payment must be made before you can take items
away and you have until midday the next business day to produce the money. Upon
payment you receive an itemised receipt, which you should keep if you're later
queried about the origin of the goods.
In addition to the amount that you bid there is typically a 'buyer's
premium' that must also be paid. This is normally around 11 percent of the
purchase amount. Note, however, GST is included in the amount that you bid.
There is absolutely no 'wiggling out' once you've made the highest bid on a
lot.
"Once you've made a winning bid, it's yours," says Ian Newell. "This and
various other legal type issues are outlined in the Conditions of Sale addendum
that you receive with your bidder's number. People should take the time to read
this," he adds.
One of the major themes of the Conditions of Sale addendum is
that all items are sold absolutely as-is - there is no warranty or comeback of
any kind.
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Examples of Selling Prices
Wondering what sort of money stolen and recovered auction items go for? Here
are some examples we witnessed... Note that the 11 percent buyer's premium must
also be added to the purchase amount shown.
| Lot 6 - Fibreglass body kit to suit Commodore |
AUD$130 |
| Lot 27 - Polished 17-inch aftermarket wheels with tyres |
AUD$825 |
| Lot 32 - Complete welding kit |
AUD$130 |
| Lot 49 - Cordless Bosch drill |
AUD$60 |
| Lot 134 - Pioneer GX424 amplifier |
AUD$110 |
| Lot 177 - Pioneer DEH-2350 CD/tuner |
AUD$80 |
| Lot 450 - Hand-held GPS |
AUD$190 |
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So there you have it - that's a typical example of a stolen and recovered
auction. The next time you have some time off during the week you know what to
do...
Contact/Thanks
Evans Clarke Dominion Auctions (Adelaide)
+61 8 8345 0099
www.evansclarke.com.au
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