Chapter 3.60
PROPERTY – UNCLAIMED

Sections:

3.60.010    Identification of owner.

3.60.020    Storage of property.

3.60.030    Urgency sale.

3.60.040    Conduct of sale.

3.60.050    Claim of owner.

3.60.060    Claim by finder.

3.60.070    Retention of property.

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When personal property, other than evidence or contraband required for the administration of justice, comes into the possession of the Police Department, the Police Department shall notify the owner, if his identity is reasonably ascertainable, that the Police Department possesses the property and that the owner can claim such property. (Ord. 1794)

Personal property described in CMC 3.60.010 shall be held by the Police Department for a period of four months, except that bicycles shall be held for a period of at least three months.

The Police Department may, without storing, conduct an urgency sale of property pursuant to Section 2080.5 of the California Civil Code in accordance with the sale procedures of this chapter.

After the expiration of the required holding period or a determination that an urgency sale is authorized, the Director of Police Services shall cause a notice of sale to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the County of San Diego. The notice shall be published at least seven days prior to the date fixed for sale. Title to the property shall vest in the highest bidder at the public auction upon receipt by the Police Department of the full amount of the highest bid and the cost of publication, if any, relating to the property. The proceeds of the sale shall be paid into the general fund. Any property remaining unsold after being offered at such public auction shall be destroyed or otherwise lawfully disposed of at the direction of the Director of Police Services. The notice of sale shall identify each item of property whose value is $50.00 or more.

At any time within seven days following the publication of notice of sale and before the time set for sale, an owner who appears and proves his ownership of the property and pays a reasonable storage charge fixed by the Director of Police Services and the cost of publications if any, relating to the property, shall receive possession of the property.

At the time and place set for sale, the finder of the property delivered to the Police Department may assert a claim to the property and upon paying a reasonable charge for storage as fixed by the Director of Police Services and the cost of publication, if any, relating to the property, title to the property shall vest in the person who found the property, unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency in which case the finder has no lawful claim.

If the property is not claimed by the owner or finder, the Director of Police Services, upon his determination that the property is needed for public use, may order that the property be retained for public use by the City of Coronado and not sold.