The Juneau Police Department will hold an online vehicle auction beginning Jan. 27 at 8 a.m. (Courtesy photo)

The Juneau Police Department will hold an online vehicle auction beginning Jan. 27 at 8 a.m. (Courtesy photo)

JPD to hold first vehicle auction of new year

26 unclaimed vehicles are up for grabs.

The Juneau Police Department will hold an auction for 26 unclaimed vehicles beginning on Jan. 27.

“Our hope is that people will retrieve them prior to the auction,” JPD Public Safety Manager Erann Kalwara said in an email. “We don’t have much space at the impound lot, so attempt to hold them only for the mandatory amount of time prescribed by ordinance and state statute.”

Cars are impounded for a variety of reasons, Kalwara said, including abandonment, being parked in a prohibited area, being taken as part of a felony such as DUI, or other reasons. Vehicles are held for varying lengths of time, depending on the reason for their seizure.

“Some offenses require us to hold the vehicles for 72 hours prior to releasing to owners. If a vehicle is impounded for a parking issue or traffic infringement issue, it may be released that business day,” Kalwara said. “We always appreciate when owners pick up their vehicles as soon as eligible for release. If they leave them in our lot and do not pick them up, we follow a set of standard notifications before we can sell or destroy them.”

If a vehicle is involved in a case, it may have to wait for a court disposition, which can take a long time, Kalwara said. Vehicles are held for at least 50 days before they’re disposed of, so that the notifications have time to reach the owner. After that, vehicles are either sold or destroyed. JPD has a contract with Skookum Sales and Recycling to destroy the unclaimed vehicles.

“If it isn’t junked, we put it in the auction. If it doesn’t sell in the auction, we typically destroy it,” Kalwara said. “Last year we held nine auctions. One each in March, May, June, July, August, October and December and two auctions in April. We auctioned 129 cars and sold 52 in 2019.”

Want to partake?

The auction is open to members of the public who are at least 18 years old and possess a government photo ID. Prospective buyers must register on Publicsurplus.com, which will conduct the actual auction. Minimum bids for all vehicles will start at $200, and payments must be made by credit card or wire transfer. Winners will have to show up at the JPD station on 6255 Alaway Avenue with their documentation by the end of the next business day to claim and move the vehicle.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

More in News

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Ships in Port for the Week of June 4

Here’s what to expect this week.

Capital City Fire/Rescue officials respond to a trailer fire that was reported at the Switzer Village Mobile Home Park in the Lemon Creek area Wednesday afternoon. No one was in the trailer at the time of the fire, and no injuries have been reported, officials say. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
CCFR extinguishes ‘quick’ trailer fire in Lemon Creek area

“It was a quick knockdown and we’re just making sure everything is out before we leave.”

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Monday, June 5, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Water and wastewater rates in the City and Borough of Juneau will increase 2% starting July 1. (Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)
Water, wastewater rates to increase starting July 1

The 2% increase is to match inflationary costs, city says.

A progress pride flag flies in the wind below an U.S. flag outside of the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building on Monday evening. Last week the flag was raised for the first time by members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and will remain up through the month of June. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
LGBTQ+ pride flag raised at federal building sparks backlash, support

Varying reactions to the flag that was raised for the first time outside the building.

Cars and people move past the City and Borough of Juneau current City Hall downtown on Monday. The Assembly Committee of the Whole unanimously OK’d an ordinance Monday night that, if passed by the full Assembly, would again ask Juneau voters during the upcoming municipal election whether to approve $27 million in bond debt to fund the construction of a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Voters could see proposal for a new City Hall back on the ballot this fall

City signals support for $27 million initiative, after $35M bond last year fails.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Sunday, June 4, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Saturday, June 3, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Most Read