Alhambra Municipal Code Ch. 3.23 Property Found or Saved

Any person who finds and takes possession, within the city limits, of any money, goods, things in action, or other personal property, or saves any domestic animal from drowning or starvation, shall, within a reasonable time, inform the owner, if known, and make restitution without compensation, except a reasonable charge for saving and taking care of the property.

('86 Code, § 3.23.010) (Ord. 3416, passed - - ) Penalty, see § 1.12.010

If the owner is unknown or has not claimed the property, the person saving or finding the property shall, if such property is of the value of $10 or more, within a reasonable time, turn the property over to the Police Department, and make an affidavit, stating when and where he found or saved the property, particularly describing it. If the property was saved, he shall state:

(A) From what and how it was saved.

(B) Whether the owner of the property is known to him.

(C) That he has not secreted, withheld, or disposed of any part of the property.

('86 Code, § 3.23.020) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )

The Police Department shall notify the owner, if his identity is reasonably ascertainable, that it possesses the property and where it may be claimed. The Police Department may require payment by the owner of a reasonable charge to defray costs of storage and care of the property.

('86 Code, § 3.23.030) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )

If the owner appears within 90 days, after receipt of the property by the Police Department, proves his ownership of the property, and pays all reasonable charges, the Police Department shall restore the property to him.

('86 Code, § 3.23.040) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )

If no owner appears and proves his ownership of the property within 90 days, the Police Department shall cause to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation published within the city, notice of the found or saved property.

('86 Code, § 3.23.050) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )

If, after seven days following the first publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves his ownership of the property, then the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property, unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency, in which case the property shall be sold at public auction, as provided in Chapter 3.24 of the Alhambra Municipal Code.

(A) The finder shall, however, pay a reasonable charge for the care of such property.

(B) No finder shall acquire the title to any bicycle, motorcycle or motor vehicle, or any firearm or deadly weapon as the same is defined in Cal. Penal Code § 12001.

('86 Code, § 3.23.060) (Ord. 3416, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3909, passed - - )

The Police Department may sell such property by public auction in the manner and upon the notice of sale of personal property under execution as set forth under applicable state law if such property is a thing which is commonly the subject of sale, when the owner cannot, with reasonable diligence, be found or, being found, refuses upon demand to pay the lawful charges provided by §§ 3.23.010 and 3.23.020, in the following cases:

(A) When the thing is in danger of perishing, or of losing the greater part of its value: or,

(B) When the lawful charges provided by §§ 3.23.010 and 3.23.020 amount to € of its value.

('86 Code, § 3.23.070) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )

The provisions of this chapter have no applica-tion to things which have been intentionally abandoned by their owner.

('86 Code, § 3.23.080) (Ord. 3416, passed - - )