“I came to see what they had,” said Bill Linder. The Evidence Room Rummage Sale had plenty, ranging from rubber fishing boots to SPPD holster belts; “Everything Sold As Is” No Returns! warned a sign.“I’m glad to see it all go,” said retired SPPD Interim Chief and Commander Mark Hanson, who has been working to clear the Evidence Room with consultant Janice Merrill - retired from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department - for more than a year.“There’s a lot of money flying around,” said SPPD Police Chief Steve MacKinnon, who noted that although he knew the sale would be popular. “I didn’t expect” that so many shoppers would show up.“We got rid of an old radar gun, I heard for use by the Little League to see how fast they pitch the ball. We had a lot of jewelry,” although the real gold variety was pulled for a later more lucrative sale to a dealer.Chief MacKinnon said that two gym bags stuffed with baseball cards were purchased by a man “for his kids.” The first hour of the sale “was kind of crazy, but now we’re starting to calm down.”Not so for Otto and Debbie Schimmel: “I’m buying this for the Rotary Pumpkin Patch,” said Otto, a co-chair of the event, as he showed off a skeet pull. “Maybe we can use it for a pumpkin or squash launching contest!”“I got the leftovers,” said Patty Harrison who arrived later, but “there’s still some pretty costume jewelry.” The Evidence Room Rummage Sale even offered a bonus: American flags and Santa Paula Police Officers Association kids T-shirts, free with purchase.
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(Above left) The jewelry area was one of the busiest spots during the Santa Paula Police Department evidence room rummage sale last Saturday. (Right) Bicycles were a hot item during the rummage sale. Many bikes, too numerous to count, took up half of the rummage sale area last Saturday. (Photos by Don Johnson) |
Police Department holds open house, rummage sale
April 16, 2008
“Do you have any wallets?” a man asked a SPPD officer helping with the sale.
Santa Paula Police Department
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesA big crowd looking for small bargains was held back by yellow caution tape until the Santa Paula Police Department’s Evidence Room Rummage Sale officially started on Saturday morning, where the assorted bounty drew hundreds of bargain hunters.“I have no needs,” said Zahid Shah, one of the first inside the scramble of items displayed in the station’s south parking lot. “I’m just here to spend money,” in spite of the heat and gusty winds that topped 40 mph.There was plenty to spend very little money on: upholstered office chairs for $5, stacking and arm chairs $1 each, costume jewelry, watches, cameras, more than 150 bicycles, art, tires, office equipment and supplies, bookcases, electronics, computer monitors, keyboards, even some high-style shoes - lined up on the ramp where everything was only 25 cents - were on display, but not for long.“These are taken,” said a man minutes after the sale began, who was already standing guard over numerous oversized aerial photographs of the city stacked against a wall. “Taken” was the key word of the day, with most of the numerous items on sale stolen and although recovered by the SPPD not claimed by the owners.“Do you have any wallets?” a man asked a SPPD officer helping with the sale. “My daughter lost her wallet last week.”“We hope to get a lot of people,” said SPPD Lieutenant Carlos Juarez as he eyed the ever-swelling crowd.At different times Pastor Chip Northup of the Heritage Valley Christian Fellowship was seen wrestling with a metal storage rack, bicycle and television set. A boy was patiently holding onto three bicycles while waiting for his parents to finish shopping.An oversized cork bulletin board near other SPPD surplus office supplies on the 25-cent ramp was complete with identification of areas marked Parolees, Wanted Parolees, etc. “Maybe someone will want to buy it,” noted Sergeant Ish Cordero. “...For old times’ sake,” said Calla Dominguez, coordinator of the Las Piedras Park Police Storefront.
