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Stolen Items Seized By NYPD Could Be Yours

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - If you're looking for a hot item this holiday season, then something that was once stolen might be the way to go.

PropertyRoom.com is an auction site that offers stolen items that were seized by police department around the country, including the NYPD.

WCBS 880's Alex Silverman With The Story

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"About 2,800 police departments in 48 states around the country give us the items to auction off," said site creator Tom Lane

Lane says the items that come in weren't able to be returned to their original owners for various reasons.

"Sometimes people have moved, sometimes people have gotten a settlement in an insurance company, it doesn't belong to them. So, this leftover stuff, by law, had to be auctioned off and that's where we come in," Lane told WCBS 880 reporter Alex Silverman.

It was Lane's background that gave him the idea for the site.

"When I was a detective in Long Beach, New York, I used to have to clean out the property rooms. So, I knew there was property in the property rooms and once the internet came about and the auction sites where people were used to buying things on auction sites on the internet, I figured there was an opportunity to take the stuff from police departments and put them out on the internet and expose it to a much wider audience," said Lane.

Among the many items available are an eight-person bicycle, gold teeth, a colonoscopy machine and a coffin.

While those aren't the best  holiday gifts, there are also many more traditional items like jewelry, tools and electronics.

"It varies. The site literally changes every hour as we're processing items around the country," said Lane.

But the best part may be the prices.

"For the most part, things start at $1, no reserve. So it's a great deal for the consumer and it's a great deal for police departments," said Lane.

What's the best (or worst) holiday present you ever received? Share it in the comments section below...

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