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Allegheny Airport Authority holds annual auction of found items

FINDLAY TWP., Pa. — Alligator heads, game-worn football jerseys and vehicles were just some of the items included in the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s annual auction on Saturday.

The auction, held Saturday morning, returned with two years’ worth of personal items left behind to bid on; everything from a fire truck and electronics to dress shoes and abandoned vehicles.

Nearly 1,000 pieces of jewelry were auctioned – including silver and gold pieces – along with more than 500 electronic items, nine abandoned vehicles, runway brooms, plows, and a fire truck. Other unclaimed items left behind that were on the auction list: an elf on the shelf, a lava lamp, portable toilet seat, rice cooker and a pair of high-end designer dress shoes.

“We are excited to be returning to an in-person event,” said Dawn Bailey, ACAA manager of landside and terminal operations. “We have two years’ worth of left behind items for the public due to a scaled-down online-only event last year.”

Proceeds from items sold that are not owned by the Airport Authority go to the ACAA Charitable Foundation, which helps support the airport’s military lounge, Art in the Airport program, aviation scholarships and workforce development.

Before the auction, the Airport Authority donated several boxes of items left longer than 30 days in the airport’s Lost and Found to local charities. Dozens of boxes of clothing were donated to Circles of Greater Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that assists individuals living in poverty. Additionally, boxes of unclaimed prescription eyeglasses were donated to the Pittsburgh chapter of the Lions Club.