WV Treasurer’s Office holds gun auction to boost state law enforcement

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The West Virginia Treasurer’s Office is raising money for state law enforcement agencies with a gun auction.

According to the Treasurer’s Office, it’s the largest unclaimed property firearms auction in state history.

Federally licensed firearms dealers arrived early on Thursday morning at the treasurer’s secure warehouse in Kanawha City to examine firearms, ammunition, and accessories lots up for auction.

Police departments and law enforcement agencies across the state collected weapons that were old, seized or not in use to be auctioned off.

The agencies who turned over the weapons will use the money raised to buy new guns and cruisers.

The money will also be used to pay for officer training programs and other upgrades.

Under West Virginia’s Unclaimed Property Code (Chapter 36, Article 8A), state and local law enforcement agencies are allowed to turn over any unclaimed, seized, or outdated firearms in their possession to the State Treasurer’s Office for auction. The proceeds can then be returned to the submitting agency for use.

“A police department might have firearms that are obsolete now and, as they get new service weapons, then we will auction those off,” Riley Moore, West Virginia State Treasurer said. “Other times there are very old firearms that have sat in an evidence locker, the case has been closed and then they’ll turn them over to us.”

The treasurer’s office had more than 600 guns on the auction block Thursday.

In 2022, the auction raised more than $100,000.

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