Belmont Municipal Code Art. III Unclaimed Personal Property

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State Law reference— Unclaimed personal property, Civ. Code, § 2080 et seq.

The police department or other city department, upon finding or receipt of any personal property, including bicycles, the ownership of which is unknown to the department, must hold the property in some safe place for 90 days from such finding or receipt, unless title and right to possession thereof is proven to the department.

(Code 1961, § 2.76; Ord. No. 2025-1190, § 26, 9-23-25)

After holding any personal property for at least six (6) months and when it appears that the same is unclaimed and has presumably been abandoned by the former owner thereof, the police department shall cause notice of the time and place of the sale or other disposition thereof to be published once in the official newspaper of the city at least five (5) days before the date of such sale.

(Code 1961, § 2.77)

At the time and place fixed for such sale or other disposition of the unclaimed property the same shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, whose name and address shall be kept by the department for at least one year thereafter, and such highest bidder shall obtain a valid title and right to possession thereof. If no person offers to purchase any such property, the police department may cause destruction thereof in the most convenient way and shall be exonerated from all liability to the true original owner thereof.

(Code 1961, § 2.78)

The proceeds of every such sale shall be delivered to the city treasurer. Unless the former owner proves to the treasurer his right to such proceeds of sale within two (2) months after the date thereof, the proceeds shall become a part of the general fund of the city, subject to refund by the city council on application of the former owner, less any expense for storage and for publication of notice of sale.

(Code 1961, § 2.79)