Ford Crown Victorias, Chevy Impalas, Ford Mustangs and Honda Civics will be among the 45 cars auctioned off on Sept. 19 by the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in New Sarpy.
A majority of the vehicles for auction this year are ones that were used by the Sheriff’s Office.
Around 20 of the vehicles are seizures, according to Chief Civil Deputy Maisy Robicheaux.
The seized vehicles include a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am, a 1994 Nissan Pathfinder and a 2000 Chevy Malibu.
“This is something that is done by the Sheriff’s Office once a year and we usually have between 25 to 35 vehicles,” Robicheaux said. “This year we do have more seized vehicles than usual – it all fluctuates depending how many vehicles are seized during the year and how fast they can process through the court system.”
Last year, the Sheriff’s Office auctioned off 40 vehicles and raised $37,000.
“But some of the expenses from having the auction do have to come out of that total,” Robicheaux said.
That translated to an average cost of $925 per vehicle.
“I have seen cars go for as little as $250,” Robicheaux said. “We have also had seized cars sell for $3,000 to $5,000.”
Most of the vehicles at the auction do have high mileage, Robicheaux added. The vehicles are sold “as is, no guarantees,” but maintenance personnel has information about some of the vehicles that they can pass on at the auction.
“That way, someone knows if they are purchasing a vehicle with a bad engine,” she said.
The auction usually attracts a pretty big turnout with people coming from the surrounding areas to check out what’s available.
“Last year, we had about 45 people register, but close to 125 people show up,” Robicheaux said.
Fifteen years ago, the Sheriff’s Office used a seal bid process to sell the vehicles. Robicheaux said changing it to a live auction has increased competition.
The auction will be held at the 2nd District Office at 203 Park Ave. at River Road in New Sarpy. The event gets underway at 10 a.m., but anyone interested in taking a look at the vehicles may do so on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
All vehicles can be purchased with cash or cashier’s checks. No personal or company checks without a bank letter of guarantee valid for 15 days after the auction will be accepted.
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