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POMPTON LAKES - Police to auction off bikes
(by Donna Rolando - Managing Editor - September 24, 2008)
POMPTON LAKES - “Like eBay in person” is how the borough Police Department describes its auctions of used bikes that end up at headquarters and never get claimed.
In this age of rising fuel prices, it’s an opportunity for area residents to get a good deal on bicycles and put some mileage on their legs instead of their vehicles.
“They’re all different types of bicycles, small ones, right up to mountain bikes,” said Special Officer Craig Leidig, detailing the assortment of about 20 bicycles that have been awaiting their owners to no avail. “There’s a lot of good bikes here.”
The auction is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11, rain or shine, behind the Municipal Building at 25 Lenox Ave. Hours are 9 to 11 a.m., but those interested can also preview what’s available starting at 8 a.m., Leidig said.
The Police Department finds itself in the business of auctioning off bicycles because their owners have not claimed them for a while.
Leidig said that in some cases, the bikes were stolen and then abandoned but what’s strange is that few people ever call the police station to see if their bike might have been found. In some cases, police officers find the bikes without their riders at parks and throughout town. In other cases, residents might discover that a bike has mysteriously turned up on their lawn.
“They wake up and go, 'Hey whose bike is that?'” Leidig said. It’s on their front lawn and it ends up with the police.
If someone lost a bike, they still have a chance to recover it before the auction if they can prove ownership.
“Each bike has a serial number like a VIN number on a car,” said Leidig. With that number, residents can prove ownership of a bicycle as they can with the original bill of sale, he said.
The cash-only auction carries a whole range of prices and sometimes generates competition with bids going as high as $100 or more.
When the auction packs that much interest, Leidig said, “It’s like e-Bay in person.”
Any monies raised at auction go back into the general fund, he said.
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