Citrus Heights Municipal Code Div. 5 Lost, Stolen, or Unclaimed Property

(a) All lost, stolen, or unclaimed property in the possession of the city shall be held by the city for a period of at least three months, after which the chief of police may dispose of such property by holding a public auction and selling the property to the highest bidder. The chief of police shall provide notice of such sale at least five days before the auction by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, or that thereafter such property will be transferred to another agency for sale to the public at public auction. The city may destroy or otherwise dispose of any property remaining unsold after being offered at public auction.

(b) In lieu of an auction required by subdivision (a), the chief of police may dispose of property unclaimed after three months as follows:

(1) Retain such property if he or she determines that such property is needed for public use; or

(2) Turn over such property, if valued at $500.00 or less, to a charitable or nonprofit organization which is authorized under its articles of incorporation to participate in a program or activity designed to prevent juvenile delinquency and which is exempt from income taxation under federal or state law, or both, for use in any program or activity designed to prevent juvenile delinquency. Before any such property is turned over, the chief of police, or his or her designee, shall notify the owner, if his or her identity is known or can be reasonably ascertained, that the city possesses the property and where it may be claimed.

(Ord. No. 2016-002, § 1, 4-14-2016)