A police force has raked in over £270,000 in the past year by selling confiscated goods on the onli...

1. Police force rakes in more than £270,000 by selling seized
goods including a Rolex and even an Aston Martin on eBay
A police force has raked in over £270,000 in the past year by selling confiscated goods on the
online action website ebay. Leicestershire police became the first force in the country to use ebay to
sell the seized assets of criminals which included flashy sports cars and designer jewellery.
The items that were auctioned off included luxury cars, computers and clothing which the courts
confirmed had been paid for with criminal cash. All the money the site generates will go back to fund
crime-fighting work. Leicestershire police said it hopes it will prevent criminals from benefiting from
their loot.
Many of the items were confiscated thanks to tip-offs from the public, who became suspicious of
people who were living the high life despite having no obvious legitimate income. Some of the items
included high-powered sports cars for tens of thousands of pounds, others included designer
jewellery and DVDs.
The unusual ebay shop opened in September 2009 and the total raised since then is more than £1.2
million. In the past year, it has sold an Aston Martin DB9 car for £63,000, an Audi A5 for £29,500
and a Range Rover for £15,500 and a Mercedes car for £7,751.
Meanwhile, police sold a Rolex watch online for more than £13,000 and a signed autograph by
legendary crooner Frank Sinatra was snapped up for £260. Paul Wenlock, head of Leicestershire
Police's economic crime unit, said the site had been a 'huge success'. He said: 'The site is also a daily
reminder we will take civil as well as criminal action to ensure criminals do not benefit from their
crimes. 'In some cases, we have been able to seize goods and sell them where we have not managed
to secure a criminal conviction. 'All the money the site generates goes back to fund crime-fighting
work. 'Often the inquiry starts from information from members of the public.
'If you know anyone who appears to be living a lifestyle beyond their visible means, we would like to
know. We can take both civil and criminal action to be sure they do not benefit from these activities.'
Everything the force has sold had been seized and formally confiscated by the courts under the
Proceeds of Crime Act after officers proved they were bought with criminal cash. The cash is used to
fund further crime-fighting, while some is donated to good causes, including organisations which
support victims of crime.
And thankfully the force's eBay seller rating – which reflects its customers' satisfaction levels –
is 99.8 per cent Police officers also use eBay to sell other items in its possession - they made
£39,209 by selling surplus police equipment and £24,050 on unclaimed lost property.
It's not known whether other police force's intend to follow suit.
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