SAN ANTONIO – There are plenty of holiday deals in stores, but eagle-eyed shoppers can also find a variety of items for a steal at the San Antonio Police Department's auction of recovered property.
Attendees to the asset forfeiture auction sifted through hundreds of seized items Thursday night.
Sgt. James Smith said most of the auction items come from drug dealers, and the profits go back to the Police Department and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office.
"That money can only be used for law enforcement purposes, which kind of saves us as taxpayers a little bit of money," said Smith.
The auction was held at the Southside VFW. Some of the property available included tools, electronics and jewelry.
"We have to prove that these are either proceeds or criminal instruments. Basically the fruits of their illegal behavior," said Smith.
The auctions rake in on average between $20,00 and $30,000: a win for both the Police Department and shoppers.
"The auctions have a lot of different variety to pick from, sometimes you can find bargains," said Carlos Martin, who was shopping for Christmas presents.
The next auction will be announced on SAPD's Facebook page.