"Unclaimed property"
means any property found by officers or employees of the city upon the public streets or ways of the city or elsewhere within the city or any property brought to the city by others where the owner of the same is unknown; provided, however, that property held as evidence, dangerous weapons or deadly weapons, narcotics or dangerous drugs, explosives or any property of any kind whatsoever which is prohibited by law as the same are defined or described in state or federal statutes shall not constitute unclaimed property as defined in this section.
(Ord. 1005 § 1, 1977)
All unclaimed property shall be kept by the city using ordinary care to keep the same safely. If the owner appears prior to four months in the case of all property other than bicycles, and in the case of bicycles prior to three months, from the date the property came into possession of the city, it shall be returned to the owner subject to the following conditions:
A. 
The owner must produce reasonable proof of ownership;
B. 
The owner must tender to the city an amount sufficient to reimburse city for reasonable cost of storage of the article;
C. 
The owner executes and delivers to the city a proper receipt for the property.
(Ord. 1005 § 1, 1977)
At any time after the expiration of the time periods specified in Section 4.24.020, any unclaimed property may be sold or disposed of in the following manner:
A. 
The chief of police is authorized and empowered to sell or transfer to a nonprofit organization all such unclaimed property. If such unclaimed property is to be sold it shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, for cash, or to transfer the property to the city purchasing department for sale or other disposition. In the event the chief of police elects to sell the property, he or she shall give notice of the date and place of the sale at least five days before the time fixed therefor by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county of Orange.
B. 
In the event the chief of police elects to transfer the property to the city purchasing department for sale, or in the case of property coming into the possession of any department other than the police department which property is to be sold, the city manager shall give the notice of sale as provided in subsection A of this section.
(Ord. 1005 § 1, 1977; Ord. 1404 § 1, 1991)
If the city purchasing department determines that any of such unclaimed property is needed for public use, the property may be retained by the city for its use.
(Ord. 1005 § 1, 1977)
Property for which no bid is made at such sale may be given to a nonprofit charitable organization, destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the city manager or his authorized representative may direct.
(Ord. 1005 § 1, 1977)