Boat and designer clothing among items sold on force’s eBay site

A search and rescue boat and designer clothing were among items sold by the force on its eBay site.

To date, this year more than £50,000 worth of items have been sold using the force’s eBay site and between January and December 2021 more than £120,000 was raised through sales.

The site is used to sell surplus police goods, items that have either been recovered during a police investigation and not been claimed or reunited with their owners, and property that has been confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

A dinghy boat, previously used by Leicestershire Search and Rescue, was sold on the site for more than £1200.  The money raised will then be passed on to the search and rescue team to continue their vital work alongside the force.

Leicestershire Police was the first force in the country to use the eBay site to auction property in this way.

Surplus police goods can include anything from unused electrical items to vehicles.

In 2021 an 18ct rose gold Rolex watch sold for more than £22,000.  A Moncler jacket was sold for £270 and a Louis Vuitton scarf and Beanie hat was sold for £365.  All of these items were seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Paul Wenlock from the force’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This site is hugely beneficial for us in generating income from property which would just lie in storage or over time be destroyed.  Since 2017, more than £900,000 has been generated through items auctioned on the site.

“The Rolex watch was one of the most expensive items we sold on the site in that period.  As well as the watch, designer clothing was among the variety of items which were forfeited under POCA and auctioned on eBay in the last year. 

“Income generated from the sales of POCA items is submitted to the Home Office who then return a percentage of the money to the force which is shared between the police, victims, courts and the criminal justice system.  The remaining income from the sale of other items remains with the force.”

If anyone wishes to view the items currently on sale on the site please visit https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/leicesterpolicepocaproperty