Bargain hunters might be able to find a diamond in the rough in Northwood on Saturday.
Literally.
The Northwood Police Department is clearing out the unclaimed and confiscated property that's been gathering dust in its property room by having an auction at 10 a.m.
Sgt. Doug Hubaker has been sifting though the items for two weeks.
There's a floor jack, a power washer, Seiko watches, and gold-colored rings.
“They say 14K,” Sergeant Hubaker said. “I don't know if they are real or not.”
“We didn't go and get any appraisals,” Northwood police Chief Jerry Herman said. “Somebody could walk away with a gem. We can't guarantee the authenticity of a diamond. We just want to get rid of the stuff. We had to clear out the property room.”
Other items date back 25 years.
There's a batting glove from 1983, and the police department still has items from a Woolworth's store that closed several years ago.
“We've got some nice bikes and some not so nice bikes,” Sergeant Hubaker said.
The auction will feature a red Honda Trail 110 moped. The owner told police that the moped kept getting stolen.
“It was more of a nuisance to keep it around the house,” Capt. Tom Cairl said. “He didn't want it back so we got a court order to keep it.”
The public auction will be at the rear of the Northwood Municipal Complex, 6000 Wales Rd. People must register and will be given numbered index cards so they can respond to bids as auctioneer Tom Pachelieff, Jr., rattles them off.
Auctioned property must be paid for on Saturday with cash or cashier checks. Personal checks are not accepted.
Most of the money raised during the auction goes to the department's general fund, but 25 percent of the proceeds will go to the Wood County Crime Stopper program.
Last year, the auction brought in about $10,000.
“The biggest haggles are over the cars,” Captain Cairl said. “The cars go last.”
The department has three vehicles for sale: an automatic 1996 Chevy Caprice with 89,000 miles; a standard-shift 1991 Chevy pickup with 127,000 miles, and a standard-shift 1994 Ford Ranger two-wheel drive with unknown mileage.
First Published October 23, 2002, 4:56 p.m.
