CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — According to a release from the office of State Treasurer Riley Moore, a “record total of more than $141,000” was raised during an unclaimed property firearms auction for local law enforcement agencies on March 16.
The auction sold old and unclaimed firearms, ammunition and related accessories in police inventory, with the $141,320 raised in the Charleston event going to 15 law enforcement agencies.
Approximately 600 firearms lots and 47 accessories and ammunition lots were up for auction, although the general public could not attend.
Participants have to be a valid, licensed federal firearms dealer.
“The men and women in our state’s law enforcement work hard to keep our communities across West Virginia a safe place to live and raise a family,” Treasurer Moore said. “I’m proud my Office partners with state and local law enforcement agencies to help turn unused firearms into funds that they can use to invest in updated equipment, training programs and facilities.”
Participating law enforcement agencies include:
- Beckley Police Department
- Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
- Huntington Police Department
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
- Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
- Parkersburg Police Department
- Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office
- Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
- South Charleston Police Department
- Westover Police Department
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources – Farmington detachment
- West Virginia State Police – Bridgeport, Buckhannon, Charles Town and Parsons detachments
The auctioned firearms were attained through West Virginia’s Unclaimed Property Code (Chapter 36, Article 8A), which states that law enforcement agencies can turn over their unclaimed, seized or outdated firearms to the State Treasurer’s Office for auction, with the proceeds going back to the submitting agency.
According to the release, “there were 55 federally licensed firearms dealers from 11 states registered to bid for this auction, including West Virginia, Kansas, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona, New Jersey and North Carolina.”
