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 ?

this brings the term "managers special" to a whole new light.  Whats the term for the unit the manager puts together of things left on the lot??   I forget....

Well, could be any of the following:

Manager's locker
Setup
abandoned

But I like YOUR'S the best:  Manager's Special !

Yes, the shows are disruptive to business. That's a given.

Some facility managers taking advantage, yes.

All the regular buyers having to put up with this crap until SOMEDAY it settles down ? Yes.

Went to two auctions today both by the same auctioneer.

First facility had 8 units and nothing memorable until the end. I didn't even bid on a lkr.

The last unit was 10 x 20 with big stuff (including 3 mattresses, one of which was RATTY, an entertainment center (cheap) and a roll-around toolbox. Toolbox was in good red, shape but couldn't see any name on the front. I think all Craftsmen have name on front and certainly Snap-On would.

Couldn't see much else as big items covered view of the rear. There were some drum stands, pedals etc but they looked in bad shape.

Starts at $100 or so, goes to $300 when a regular offered $1,000 and half the crowd starts to walk away..most were newbies. Goes on up from there and when the auctioneer asked the $1K bidder if he wanted to go $1,200 (after a 1,100 bid was made) he basically laughed and said, "I don't want it." AND HE NEVER DID WANT IT !

So, it goes on up with a couple of regulars taking the semi-newbie for a ride to.....$1,750 where it ended with him getting it. Oh well...doubt it will break even at that.

I also asked the property manager what was owed on the lkr and it was.... $1700, so the mgrs were happy campers along with the auctioneer.

******

2nd auction had 7 I think it was. Didn't bid on a one. Most went in the $200 range.

Here's a link to a Sacramento, CA (area) new "buyer"s  experience with crowd and prices info. The auctions took place Wednesday, July 27, 2011.

http://storageauctionforums.com/index.php?topic=1459.msg7112#msg7112

Anyone eles notice that they have the same auctioner all the time! Even in Vegas. Don't know about you all but I get different ones each place I go. Also do they all travel in a pack and never go to any other auctions? THE SHOW IS SCRIPTED.....

Yuuupp !  Dotson (the auctioneer) is always on the scene no matter where they go, so YES arrangements have been made it would seem....unless Dotson already had the contract to do the Storage One auctions in Las Vegas.

As to the ? do they never go to any other auctions.....In one of the Las Vegas episodes, Dave Hester had gotten up before the rest of the pack and gone to other auctions (presumably from other auctioneers). Otherwise, they may have an agreement with the Storage Wars show to NOT go to other auctions as this might DILUTE their presence on SW. Or, they might go to others and we wouldn't know.

I am interested to see if the SW Dallas show is truly done by the same production company for the same network (A&E). It's unclear at this moment as two posters here ...BigBuyGal and Ronin seem to be at odds about what is going on there...show (whoever is doing it) is supposed to start in the Fall (a month or so away).

So, what's the verdict?  Gold bars, silver candlesticks, signed memorabilia, stamp and coin collections OR.....

dirty diapers, broken chests of drawers, bags of trash, TV sets with walnut woodgrain on the side ?