With the semester in full swing, students at the University of Wyoming are hustling to get to their classes. Between all the running to and from classes, folks are bound to lose some things. On September 4th, UW Police Department hosted an auction for found property in the Ivinson Parking Garage.
This event occurs annually, and the UWPD has been doing it for the better part of 30 years. Abandoned items such as bikes, electronics, and a variety of other fascinating items are found at the auction. Just this year, UWPD’s Supervisor of Emergency Communications Jason Satkunam confirmed that a used candle made an appearance. The auctions are most often aimed towards students, especially those who would like a new bicycle for transportation.
The way the UWPD determines whether an item is abandoned or not occurs through a rigorous process. A student may claim their property up until the auction starts, meaning that they may see their property on the floor and claim it, with evidence they are the owner. The lost property that isn’t claimed throughout the year is put up for auction, and anything that remains unbought during the auction is donated to organizations such as the Cathedral Home, Albany Community Health, or the Albany County SAFE Project.
Since the conception of the auction, the proceeds each year have been returned to the university. UWPD raises this money in order to better supply the campus with new bike racks and higher quality lost and found areas. The campus police have made strides in improving the accessibility of campus to those unable to afford parking passes or rideshares. Satkunam confirmed that it does also benefit the police department, which he said may be used to update their fingerprinting services.
This year has been their highest turnout. Over a thousand items were for sale at this years auction, making it one of their largest projects yet. Satkunam suggested that next year they may have to move to a more open location due to how popular it has become. He also states that the popularity this year was in part due to their communication with the UW community through email and Facebook posts about the auction. Because of this, UW may see the installation of new bike racks and a better circulation of lost property.
Satkunam suggests that having better lost and found locations reduces theft crimes.
The auction will continue for many years to come and all UW students are welcome to join.
