Warsaw road authority auctions off abandoned vehicles

Warsaw's road authority has completed procedures for its fifth auction of vehicles abandoned in the city and not claimed after six months, having already raised more than PLN 1 million (EUR 220,000) from earlier sales.

At the last auction, the road authority sold 31 of the 46 vehicles on offer for a total of almost PLN 236,000 (EUR 50,980).

If recovered vehicles are not claimed within six months, they legally become the property of the city, the authority explained.

The first auction of abandoned cars was held in the autumn of 2021, when eight cars were put under the hammer of which seven were sold raising over PLN 92,000 (EUR 19,860). In 2022, 57 vehicles were put up for sale, of which 45 found new owners, bringing city coffers PLN 364,600 (EUR 78,703) in revenue.

"That's almost the price of repairing 300 metres of road," the authority said.

In March 2023, 77 vehicles were put up for sale including four repeat lots and one motorcycle. All have now been sold for a total sum of more than PLN 400,000 (EUR 86,330).

In the latest auction, 45 cars and a scooter were available with 30 cars and the scooter being sold, yielding PLN 235,000 (EUR 50,730).

The most expensive car sold off by the city to date was a BMW 5 series which went for PLN 37,000 (EUR 7,990).

In total, 142 vehicles have been sold with the revenues earmarked for infrastructure maintenance, the creation of greener streets, and public transport, the authority said, adding that further auctions would follow.