DESIGNER goods might be too pricey for some of us but there is a way to get your hands on top brands for a fraction of the cost – and no, it’s not illegal.
You won’t even need to step into a luxury shop or a department store, as The Sun reveals how you can BUY stolen goods.
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The goods have been bought by crooks with cash from crimes – but they are now being sold legally at police auction houses.
Adele Cooke explains how it works – and what to look out for if you want to grab a bargain item – despite its dark past.
Profits of crime
On the table in front of me are designer watches, luxury trainers, handbags and bottles of perfume.
To my left are rows of Canada Goose and Balenciaga jackets still with the tags on.
Everywhere I look are designer items in mint condition, but this is not a luxury shop or department store.
Today I’m at a police auction house at a secure location, where you can get designer clothes for a fraction of the price.
Forget stolen goods and items that have fallen off the back of vans.
The Government department at John Pye Auctions in Nottingham specialises in clothes and accessories that were bought with the profits of crime.
For example, a burglar may buy a pair of designer trainers with money they stole from someone’s home.
When the criminal is arrested and their property is seized by the police, it is given to the auction house to sell.
The items are checked by a team of in-house specialists who make sure they are genuine and value them.
The team works closely with the anti-counterfeiting group, an international association that fights against the growing trade in fake goods.
Any money made from auction sales is given back to the police force and is used to fund its work.
Paul Hird, head of government and luxury auctions, says: “Criminals buy items like Balenciaga t-shirts because they are using cash from criminality.
Hidden auction dangers you need to know
It’s important that shoppers are aware of their warranty and refund rights when buying items at auction.
It’s important that shoppers are aware of their warranty and refund rights when buying items at auction.
If you purchase an item from a shop then it will have a warranty or guarantee, which means the retailer should fix or replace it if it breaks.
These usually last between two and three years.
John Lye Auctions offers a guarantee on some items – but not ones from its police auctions.
Consumer expert Martyn James explains: “A guarantee is usually included for free when you buy something and is a promise from the retailer or manufacturer that they will repair or replace the item or give you a refund if it becomes faulty, again within a set period of time.”
You also won’t be able to get a refund if you’re unhappy with it.
All items are sold as seen, so it’s important to check them in person for scratches or defects.
You can view and test out all the items before buying.
Usual distance selling rules – where you get a seven day cooling off period to change your mind for any online purchases – also do not apply.
“They buy watches, gold or designer wear because they cannot buy property or cars. These buyers are cash-rich so will pay £500 for a t-shirt as it’s a status symbol.”
John Pye has held a police auction twice a week for the past nine years.
In that time, it has sold Cartier watches, a samurai statue and even a plane.
The auction house sells around 40,000 items a week across all of its departments, which include retail, luxury, vehicles and property.
All of the items are sold online in a live auction, but interested buyers can look at the items before they go under the hammer.
Paul says: “We hold viewing days every week so buyers can come and see items and try them on.”
He is tight-lipped about his clients but adds that it is not uncommon for Premier League footballers to snap up items.
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“We’re under contracts and NDAs with some high-end buyers,” he said.
“We have got 780,000 buyers registered, so we do have a big pool to sell to.”
Bargain buys
Today, the team are busy preparing for a luxury watch auction, with many of the timepieces expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds.
I’m shocked when luxury auction manager Gillian Graham shows me a white gold Daytona Cosmograph Rolex watch with a Tiffany blue face.
It was discontinued in 2022 and is now one of the most sought-after watches in the Oyster collection.
It can cost £92,950 to buy the watch second-hand but today it sells for £47,100.
She tells me: “We get a lot of Rolexes. Sometimes there is a bit of a waiting list for the watches. You can’t walk in and buy so you cannot walk in and buy the Daytona brand new.”
“But a Daytona would come in here and it would attract a buyer who wants to get their hands on it.”
Gillian adds that all watches are stored in alarmed and timed safes, so you’ll need to book an appointment to get your hands on them.
But it’s not only luxury watches that are on offer today.
Emily Thomlinson, head of marketing, said: “With the jewellery and clothing, I think that’s from us where the buyer is more likely to get a deal or more of a bargain on the item.”
A black Moncler jacket on a clothing rack caught my eye on the way into the showroom.
I ask the team how much it would set me back.
With a retail price of £1,300 it’s out of my price range but the team tell me an identical jacket sold for £200 at auction earlier this year.
Meanwhile, I’ve often lusted over a Louis Vuitton Alma bag but it costs £1,430, well out of my price range.
But the team say these handbags are one of the most frequent items they see and usually have a hammer price of £690.
Gillian said: “Louis Vuitton handbags are very common and we see them on a regular basis. We also see a lot of Adidas and Nike trainers and Canada Goose.”
How do I find a police auction or sale?
The team also recently sold a Gucci Dionysis handbag for £465 – shaving £1,935 off its retail price.
Huge bargains can also be found on trainers.
Giuseppe Zanotti trainers have been worn by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Madonna but you can get your hands on them for £463 off.
One lucky buyer recently scooped up a pair of black Frankie Trainers for just £32, down from £495.
Meanwhile, a pair of Mallet Popham black trainers were sold for £35 – £195 less than the retail price.
Paul Hird said: “We see a lot of trainers that have been worn once or are brand new. Sometimes a person has 30 or 40 trainers that have been worn once, if that.
“It is all because they want to go out at night with a brand new pair of trainers. They do not want to be wearing the same trainers they have worn the night before.”
The team have even sold designer boxes and dust bags at auction.
Gillian said: “We do get down to the carrier bags sometimes because they hold value for resale.”
But before you rush to bag a bargain be warned – there are other fees you need to pay on top of the hammer price.
You need to pay a buyer’s premium of 25 per cent of the cost of the item and VAT is charged on this amount.
For example, if an item costs £100 then the buyer’s premium would be £125.
The VAT on the buyer’s premium would be £5 so in total you would pay £130.
Not all police forces sell goods through auction houses.
Some sell lost property or goods seized from criminals that cannot be returned to their rightful owners online.
Several forces including Sussex, Leicester and Northamptonshire have set up their own eBay or Vinted shops.
For example, Sussex is selling a Pandora heart charm silver bracelet for £13.50, down from around £100.
Meanwhile, Northampton police has listed a pair of Air Jordan Eclipse Chukka trainers on Vinted for £20.64 – nearly £100 less than the retail price of £118.
Or you could get a Love Moschino handbag for £80 from Northampton Police’s eBay page.
This bag would usually set you back around £140.
To find a force’s eBay or Vinted store start by checking its website.
If not, look further afield for other forces.
Always check before you place an order as some forces want you to collect items in person while others offer home delivery.
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