Baton Rouge is auctioning 330 surplus items online, including luxury jewelry seized from a former clerk of court employee accused of stealing cocaine from evidence. A diamond engagement ring appraised at $30,000 is listed for $2,000. Since moving to online auctions in 2012, the city's revenue jumped from $600,000 to over $800,000.
Chapters
Jewelry is a big gift today for a lot of people. Retail experts say Americans will spend nearly $4 billion this Valentine's Day on bling.
But believe it or not, the city of Baton Rouge is looking to unload some luxury jewelry today. As Graham Hawkins explains, it's not very often you'll get this chance.
Rows of city vehicles, pallets of PCs, even old arcade games. Just some of the 330 items now up for auction through City Parish government. But the hottest items by far being kept under lock and key.
We've included some very unique luxury jewelry, and quite frankly, we're getting a lot of calls already.
EBR's purchasing director, Patty Wallace, says the attention is more than welcome. Up for grabs are 7 David Yurman pieces, including bracelets, rings, and earrings. Also, a men's Rolex watch and the pièce de résistance, a white gold diamond engagement ring.
The ring, as I understand, is 2.5 carats, and I think there was an appraisal value over $30,000.
The jewelry came from court forfeiture. The District Attorney's Office says former Clerk of Court employee William Bates Calvin bought the items with money he made from the sale of cocaine that was stolen out of the clerk's evidence vault. As of Friday afternoon, the Rolex was sitting at $1,000, and the ring,— just over $2,000. More practical items include electronics and power tools. Chainsaws can be bought 5 at a time. And there are plenty of things you'll only find in a government auction.
You may not think there's much of a market for a totaled ambulance, but ever since they started putting these items online, there's been a big increase in the number of bids. And that means more money going back to the city parish.
The switch to online only came in 2012. It means less overhead and no worries about bad weather.
Our last auction in 2011, for that year it generated approximately $600,000. Our last year's auction for 2013 came in at over $800,000.
Graham Olkins, WAFB 9 News.
Well, that online auction opened today. It runs through the 28th, and to find the link, go to wafb.com.
