Police to auction unclaimed cars lying in their yards

Vehicles, tuk tuks and motorbikes at Nakuru Central Police Station yard. Police are in the process of auctioning such unclaimed assets. [File, Standard]

The owners of tens of vehicles rotting away in the familiar sight in police stations’ yards have 30 days to collect them or risk forfeiture.

The unclaimed vehicles will go under the auctioneer’s hammer in the third week of February across police stations in Nairobi, Kiambu and Machakos counties.

In a Gazette Notice published on February 1, seven auctioneers said they will sell the vehicles in Gatundu, Huruma, Kasarani, Muthaiga and Machakos police stations.

The auctioneers have also put 80 owners of motorcycles on notice as the State disposes of piled unclaimed assets.

“…owners of the motor vehicles and motorbikes which are lying idle and unclaimed within Huruma Police Yard, to collect them within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice,” said Astorion Auctioneers.

The auction comes two months after Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said the State would take such vehicles lying idle in police yards.

Most of the vehicles at police yards are road crash wreckage that are due for collection by owners and insurance companies. Others are impounded over traffic offenses.

The National Police Act gives police the power to sell such vehicles after seeking the consent of a magistrate.

The process begins with the police presenting an inventory of the assets in court to get orders to advertise them as unclaimed.

Once granted, a public notice of the sale has to be made, giving the owner a year to claim the asset through the same court.

In instances they go unclaimed, the magistrate will direct the vehicles to be auctioned.

“If no owner establishes his claim to the property within twelve months from the date of the notice, the property may be sold in a manner directed by the magistrate,” section 63(5) of the act reads.

Money from such auctions are put in consolidated funds.