It shall be the duty of the police department of the city, whenever
a motor vehicle or other personal property shall be found abandoned
upon the streets of the city, or be found without an owner claiming
the same, or shall, by reason of arrest, confiscation, or by forfeiture
of bond or in payment of a fine or in any other manner, come into
the hands of the police department without a claimant or through forfeiture
to either place the same upon the city garage grounds for further
disposition, or store the same with some reputable motor vehicle storage
yard, garage or other storage place pending investigation into the
ownership of and the disposition of such vehicle or personal property.
(Prior code § 20-24)
The officers of the police department, upon finding personal
property as referred to in this chapter or coming into possession
of the same, shall make diligent inquiry of all available persons
as to the name and address of the owner, conditional vendor or mortgagee
or any person interested therein and shall examine the motor vehicle
or other personal property for a license number, motor number, serial
number, make and style, and for any other information which will aid
in the identification of such motor vehicle or personal property and
in the identification of the owner, conditional vendor, mortgagee
or other interested person.
(Prior code § 20-25)
If the owner or conditional vendor of property referred to in
this chapter or mortgagee or other person interested is found and
identified, he or she shall be immediately notified by registered
letter that the personal property is held by the police department
of the city or is subject to forfeiture and will be sold at public
auction at the city garage grounds, the place of storage, or any other
designated location within the city on a certain day at ten a.m. to
the highest and best bidder for case, which sale shall not be held
until ten days have elapsed from the receipt by the owner of the registered
notice, unless the same cannot be delivered or is unclaimed.
(Prior code § 20-26)
If, after 60 days from the day the personal property referred
to in this chapter shall come into the possession of the police department,
the owner, conditional vendor, mortgagee or other interested person
cannot be found after due diligence as set out in this chapter, then
the chief of police shall cause to be published in a newspaper printed
and published in the county, a notice embodying the information set
out in the preceding section, which notice shall be published two
times, the first publication of which shall be made more than ten
days before such proposed sale.
(Prior code § 20-27)
If the owner, conditional vendor of the personal property referred
to in this chapter or mortgagee or other person interested therein
shall apply to the chief of police before a sale shall have taken
place, for the return of such property and shall submit to the chief
of police satisfactory evidence of his or her interest therein and
shall tender with the application the costs in the seizing, keeping
and making sale of the motor vehicle or personal property, the chief
of police, upon being satisfied that the claim is rightful, shall
surrender the same to the claimant.
(Prior code § 20-28)
If no claims shall have been made before the time set for the sale of the personal property under this article, the chief of police shall, on the city garage grounds, the place of storage, or any other place within the city designated in the notice of sale required by Section 3.16.040, at the time appointed, within view of the property to be sold, offer for sale and shall sell such property to the highest and best bidder for cash, and in default for bids from others for a greater sum, shall bid the same in for the city at its reasonable value.
(Prior code § 20-29)
Upon the consummation of a sale under Section 3.16.060, the chief of police shall make, execute and deliver upon behalf of and in the name of the city, a bill of sale signed by him or herself as chief of police of the city, conveying the property in question to the purchaser, and coincidentally therewith shall deliver possession of such property to the purchaser.
(Prior code § 20-30)
The sale and conveyance under the two preceding sections shall
be without redemption. The proceeds of such sale shall be first applied
upon storage, towing bills, publication fees and other costs of the
keeping and sale, and the balance shall go to the general fund of
the city.
(Prior code § 20-31)
