wow. There has to be some laws broken somewhere in that process.
The few auctions that I have been to the locks were already cut and were laying inside of the locker when the auctioneer opened the house locks. Is this common or are most lockers having the owners lock cut off for the first time???
IN MY EXPERIENCE the locks are MOST OFTEN cut some weeks prior to the auction. This is the sequence AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
Scenario 1: (most common IMHO)
1) Lkr contents owner doesn't pay bill for several months (may vary by state).
2) Prop mgr cuts lock (or has auctioneer co. cut locks) and puts on their lock and seal. Contents owner lk dropped inside lkr.
3) Legal notice runs in paper.
4) Contents owner is notified by certified mail.
5) If contents owner comes and pays up, prop mgr lock taken off and contents owner lk put on by contents owner.
5a) This is when the contents owner has chance to take stuff out.
5b) If contents owner defaults again process repeats...now there are two contents owner locks on floor. A bad sign.
Scenario 2:
(first 4 steps of scenario #1...legal process)
5) (variation on scenario #1) If prop mgr is 99% sure the deadbeat will NEVER COME BACK, here is
opportunity for prop mgr to MIS-APPROPRIATE goods in the lkr. Sometimes this is evidenced by tumbled down
boxes and/or patterns in the dust from a removed objects (also handprints in dust and opened tool boxes).
6) Lkr sealed back up by prop mgr and sale goes on (minus some goodies).
There are other variations of this, but these are the two most likely IMHO.
It happens, and has to be watched for, but is not super common. You learn the bad places and avoid them or take the risk. A PACKED lkr is only susceptible to this in the first "x" feet. The boxes at bottom of back wall aren't going to be gone through by mgr.
Side note:
Just because an auctioneer cuts lks off is no guarantee that prop mgr theft doesn't happen. Prop mgr could still cut off the new locks and get in lkr, OR might have done so BEFORE auctioneer lks were put on. Theft is possible no matter what sequence happens.
THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE AN EMPTY LOCKER COME UP.....is when locks are cut at time of auction. AND, who's to say that lkr wasn't previously opened by mgr and competely emptied and resealed ?
Get the picture ?