El Cajon Municipal Code Ch. 2.60 Unclaimed Property

A. General. Any unclaimed property (except animals, and perishable property) in the possession of the police department shall be held by the police department for a period of at least three months.

B. Perishable Property. Any unclaimed perishable property in the possession of the police department may be disposed of immediately by one of the methods in Section 2.60.030.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1981; Ord. 4602 § 4, 1999)

A. If the reported value of the property is fifty dollars or more and no owner appears and proves ownership within the required period of possession, the police department shall cause notice of the property to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation. If, after seven days following the first day of publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves ownership, the title shall vest in the private citizen who found or saved the property, if that private citizen pays the cost of publication. If the private citizen fails to pay the cost of publication within ten days, the property shall be dispensed by one of the methods in Section 2.60.030.

B. If the reported value of the property is less than fifty dollars and no owner appears and proves ownership within the required period of possession, title shall vest in the private citizen who found or saved the property. If the private citizen fails or refuses to take possession of the property within ten days, the property shall be dispensed by one of the methods in Section 2.60.030.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1981)

If no owner appears and proves ownership of the property within the required period of possession, and the property was found or saved in the course of employment by a public employee, the property shall be either:

A. Sold at public auction to the highest bidder; or

B. Retained by the city, if the property is needed for a public use.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1981)

Where unclaimed property is to be sold at public auction, the chief of police shall cause notice of such sale to be published at least five days before the time fixed for sale in a local newspaper of general circulation. Title to the property shall not vest in the successful bidder unless the cost of publication is first paid to the city. Where the unclaimed property is perishable, the publication requirement may be waived.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1980)

City employees and their immediate families shall be precluded from bidding on unclaimed property being sold by the police department, and from directly or indirectly having any interest in such sales.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1980)

Each article of unclaimed property held by the police department shall be identified with a tag on the same, showing the date and circumstances surrounding its acquisition by the police department.

(Ord. 3520 § 1, 1980)