[Adopted 11-24-1970 by G.O. No. 37-1970]
A. 
The City Clerk is hereby authorized to conduct an auction, after proper notice, of all unclaimed property which has been removed from a public sidewalk or highway after being placed there by a court officer executing a dispossess warrant or similar process and which has been stored in municipal buildings for more than three months; and the City Clerk is also hereby authorized to conduct an auction sale, after proper notice, of all of said unclaimed property remaining three months after the effective date of this article.
B. 
The proceeds of said auction sales shall be paid to the Comptroller. The Comptroller shall retain for the City charges for the storage of the property at the usual customary rates of warehouse operators engaged in the storage of furniture and goods. The balance, if any, of such sales shall be held by the Comptroller for the credit of the person or persons entitled to the proceeds for a period of 12 months. At the end of 12 months, if such money has not been claimed by the person or persons entitled thereto, the Comptroller shall deposit the same in the general fund.
Whenever any property is placed upon a public sidewalk or highway by a court officer executing a dispossess warrant or similar process, it shall be the responsibility of the petitioner in the proceeding which resulted in the issuance of the dispossess warrant or similar process to arrange for the removal and storage or other suitable disposition of all such property. If such petitioner shall not immediately arrange for the removal and storage or other suitable disposition of all such property, he shall be guilty of a violation, as that term is defined in the Penal Law, and liable to the punishment provided therein.