In this chapter:
"Chief of police"
means the chief of police or his agent, duly authorized by him;
"Unclaimed property"
means money, chattels or property of all kinds and descriptions, excepting animals, which property is lost, stolen, abandoned or otherwise unclaimed.
(Prior code §§ 4050—4050.2)
The chief of police shall be the custodian of all unclaimed property which may now be in his possession or his control, or which may hereafter come into the possession or control of the chief of police or any police officer of the city.
(Prior code § 4051)
The chief of police and every police officer of the city, upon taking or receiving into his custody, in the discharge of his duty, unclaimed property, shall forthwith deliver such unclaimed property to the chief of police, who shall register all such property delivered to or received by him in a book kept for that purpose, stating the name of the person from whom, and by whom, such property shall have been taken, the name of all claimants to the property, the time of seizure and the final disposition of the said property.
(Prior code § 4052)
All unclaimed property in the possession of the chief of police, except property subject to confiscation under the laws of this state or the laws of the United States of America, shall be stored in a safe place by the chief of police.
(Prior code § 4053)
The chief of police shall restore unclaimed property in his possession to its legal owner, upon proof of such ownership satisfactory to the chief of police and upon the payment of all reasonably necessary costs incurred in the care and protection thereof, unless such property is held by the chief of police as evidence in a pending civil or criminal case, in which event it shall be disposed of only upon order of the proper court.
(Prior code § 4054)
At any time after holding the unclaimed property for at least three months, the chief of police shall transfer such property to the city purchasing agent for sale to the public at public auction except if the city shall determine that any such property transferred to the city purchasing agent is needed for a public use, such property may be retained by the city and need not be sold. Upon transfer to the purchasing agent, such property shall no longer be redeemable by the owner or other person entitled to possession.
(Prior code § 4055; Ord. 1259 § 1, 1986)
Notice of such sale shall be given by the city manager, or his designee, at least five days before the time fixed therefor, by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which such property was found. Said notice shall designate the time and place of sale together with a brief description of the unclaimed property to be sold.
(Prior code § 4055.1; Ord. 1259 § 1, 1986)
After having duly published the notice provided for by Section 11.76.070, the purchasing agent shall, at the time and place designated in the notice, proceed to sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, lawful money of the United States of America, the property described in said notice, and, after having paid the just and reasonable expenses for storage, notice of publication and sale, from the proceeds of said sale, shall turn the remainder of the proceeds over to the city treasurer for deposit into the general fund.
(Prior code § 4056; Ord. 1259 § 1, 1986)
The purchasing agent shall give a full accounting as to the proceeds of the said sale and the disposition thereof to the city manager within thirty days following the sale.
(Prior code § 4056.1; Ord. 1259 § 1, 1986)
Any property remaining unsold after being offered at such public auction may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by the city.
(Prior code § 4056.2; Ord. 1259 § 1, 1986)