CLEVELAND -- For 75 years, police departments have conducted auctions in the same way -- with low bidding activity and minimal proceeds.

Sometimes auctions can cost the city money, but now there's a new way to conduct them, reported NewsChannel5 consumer specialist Angie Lau.

The Solon Police Department's impound lot can get crowded with stuff quickly, according to Lt. Joseph Alestock.

"As we pile up the property and evidence as it's released from the evidence room, we merely tag it, bring it out here into the impound lot," said Alestock.

But now, a nationwide Web site called PropertyRoom.com helps nearly 1,00o police departments across the country raise some serious cash.

"We're given a code to check the Internet to see what things are selling, the items -- what has sold, what has not sold -- and then after the items have closed the auction is closed. Then propertyroom.com will then forward the city's profits to City Hall," said Alestock.

The site works a lot like eBay -- it's virtual shopping of impound lots across the country.

The consumer gets great deals, and the police department wins as well.

"You don't get into manpower and labor-intensive actions; it's one phone call. They send a truck, they load it, they tag it, they give you the manifest and you're done with it," said Alestock.

The Solon Police Department is waiting for the next pickup, but the impounded goods often wind up back in the hands of their owners.

"When PropertyRoom came to do the last pickup, I noticed a name and so I called the folks and they weren't even aware their bike was missing. So, that's one case in which we did return the bicycle before it went off to auction," Alestock said.

As for the profits, although police supplied most of the manpower for auctions, the money goes to the city's general fund.

The Web site and the police department split profits 50-50 for items that go for up to $1,000.

If it sells for more than $1,000, the city gets 75 percent of the profits.