Pubdate: Sat, 02 Feb 2002 Source: Des Moines Register (IA) Copyright: 2002 The Des Moines Register. Contact: http://www.dmregister.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/123 Author: Michael Corey FOR NOW, POLICE PARK HOT WHEELS Des Moines police have disappointing news for toy collectors. For now, 21,000 miniature Hot Wheels cars seized from a drug dealer will just sit. Calls have been pouring in from people wanting to buy or help appraise the toy cars since a Des Moines Register article Thursday, said Officer Vince Valdez. The popular collectibles were seized during two raids on a cleaning service and a home owned by Stephen Allen, who pleaded guilty of methamphetamine trafficking in December. Police originally seized 35,000 Hot Wheels, but a judge ruled that 6,000 should be returned to Allen. Valdez said the collection, which appraisers estimate is worth $35,000, eventually will be sold at a public auction or will be given to schoolchildren during crime prevention visits. "We'll do one or both of those things," Valdez said. "It hasn't been determined. "Until someone who has knowledge of those things gets in there to take a look at them, we don't know what they're worth," Valdez said. Chief William Moulder will eventually decide what to do with the cars, and collectors should stop calling with offers, Valdez said. Marie Patel, the chief executive officer of Gruvo.com, a New York- based Internet auction site, said the police department is throwing away $35,000 to $37,000 if it gives the cars away. "They should really sell them first," Patel said. "They could do a lot more with the money than they could with just giving them away. It would just be better for them in the long run." Tom Barkhaus, manager of Brass Armadillo antique store in Saylor Township, said a few models of Hot Wheels, if in pristine condition, could be worth up to $500. He said some collectors will snap up new Hot Wheels models as soon as they hit stores. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom