CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Over 600 guns went up for sell in what is being deemed the largest firearms auction the state Treasurer’s Office has ever had.
State Treasurer Riley Moore’s office held the mandated auction Thursday in Charleston, clearing out outdated firearms from 300 police evidence rooms from across the state.
Around 627 firearms were expected to get sold Thursday as well as 300 pounds of ammunition.
Under West Virginia’s Unclaimed Property Code, state and local law enforcement agencies are allowed to turn over any unclaimed, seized or outdated firearms in their possession to the state Treasurer’s Office for auction.
Assistant Treasurer of Security for the Treasurer’s Office Mike Comer said the proceeds can then be returned to the submitting agencies. 
“Eighty-five percent of the proceeds go back to those law enforcement agencies to buy safety equipment and training for the agencies,” Comer said.
Comer said he anticipated the proceeds collected Thursday would break records as well, predicting they would be well into the $100 thousands.
He said however, that besides generating the extra dollars to give back to law enforcement agencies, the event also helps out state and local police departments in another major way.
“Some of the other benefits to this program is that we’re cleaning up evidence rooms across the state, we have legacy firearms that need maintenance, we have division heads, we have sheriffs trying to clean up their evidence rooms,” he said.
Thursday’s auction marked the 14th one the office has conducted. The Office held its first firearms auction in 2014.
Comer said the program is also lucrative and beneficial in other ways as well.
“We’re getting value not just with firearms, but also tools and other equipment that we don’t sell at auction that we encourage those agencies to donate to nonprofits in their communities,” he said.
Some of the 18 participating law enforcement agencies involved in Thursday’s auction included the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Clarksburg Police Department, Huntington Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office and the West Virginia State Police.
Comer said overall, there are many benefits to the initiative.
“So, it’s an impact that’s good for the taxpayer in that we’re actually getting value out of unclaimed property for those government entities that are entrusted with keeping us safe,” Comer said.
Only pre-registered Federal Firearms License Holders can attend these auctions.