From tow lot to treasure, LMPD auctions 170 unclaimed vehicles online

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- They've been towed, ticketed and left behind. Now, more than 170 unclaimed vehicles at Louisville Metro Police Department's impound lot are up for auction.

But don't expect a fast-talking auctioneer with a gavel. This sale is all online.

"Normally, the auction is about once a month for the impound, and we do sell city vehicles for fleet, and that's a little bit more sporadic," said Scott Edberg with Auctions ASAP, the company handling the sale. "But we have about three sales we're working on right now for those guys."

The auction includes a mix of cars, motorcycles and trailers.

"It's approximately 170," Edberg said. "We have a couple trailers, a couple motorcycles and stuff. So it's kind of a mixture."

Bidding starts at just $1, and shoppers can browse photos and details of each vehicle on the auction site.

"If you go to our website, auctionsasap.com and then click on the Metro link and then you click on one more link that says 'Click here to buy now,' it takes you to a bidding platform called Proxy Bid," Edberg explained. "We use Proxy Bid because it has a bigger reach and will bring better prices for the city."

By law, the cars up for auction have been sitting unclaimed for at least 45 days.

"They were abandoned vehicles from our tow lot," LMPD spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said Friday. "By state law, a vehicle is deemed abandoned after 45 days. If it goes unclaimed, it can be auctioned."

The process helps clear out the tow lot and also puts money back into Metro Government's general fund.

But buyers beware: Most vehicles don't come with keys, and some come with surprises.

"That's the problem," Edberg said. "We don't know the condition, because a lot of the cars don't have keys and they don't have a process to really go through them very thoroughly."

One car even has a few bullet holes. Still, bargain hunters often find deals worth the risk.

"The thing is, there's a little bit of risk with this sale, but the prices are usually discounted enough to where you could absorb that," Edberg said. "And there's a lot — I'd say 80% of cars run and drive."

Buyers range from individuals to car lots and junkyards.

"Basically, we run the gamut," Edberg said. "Anybody can purchase. This is open to the public, so the vast majority are just individual buyers, but we do have car lots and even some junkyards."

Prices vary widely, from as little as $300 to more than $30,000.

"Some people, they'll buy a $500 car, $1,000 car, and it's like 'Man, this runs the best I've ever had," Edberg said. "But we do sell some ugly ones too. They normally all sell."

The LMPD auction runs through 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7. To look at the vehicles up for auction, click here.