Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 11.16 Lost, Stolen or Unclaimed Property

All property or money taken from persons under arrest, or taken under suspicion or with knowledge of its having been stolen or feloniously obtained, and all property or money constituting evidence or proceeds of crime, or taken from intoxicated or insane persons, or other persons incapable of taking care of themselves, and all property or money lost or abandoned that may come into the possession of any member of the police department, shall be delivered to the chief of police, who shall enter or cause to be entered in a record to be kept by him for that purpose, a detailed description of the same, together with the name of the person, or persons, from whom received, the names of any claimants thereto, the time of the seizure, and the final disposition thereof.

When any person arrested shall be adjudged innocent of the offense charged by a court of competent jurisdiction, which shall adjudge that the property or money belongs to such person, the chief of police shall thereupon deliver such property or money to him personally, and not to his attorney or agent, and take his receipt therefor. If the accused be held for trial or examination, such money or property shall remain in the custody of the chief of police until the discharge or conviction of the person accused, unless prior thereto he has delivered the same to a state or county officer, as provided by law.

The city manager or such person as shall be designated by him, may sell at public auction all unclaimed property that has been in custody for a period of six months. He shall fix a day upon which the sale shall take place, and shall give notice thereof by publication three times in the official newspaper. The notice shall state the day and hour when such sale shall commence and shall contain a general description of the property to be sold, or shall refer to a list thereof on file with the city clerk. The notice shall be signed by the city manager or by the person designated by him to conduct such public auction. The proceeds of such sale shall, together with all moneys unclaimed for a period of six months, be paid into the city treasury. In no case shall any property be sold or disposed of until the necessity for the use thereof as evidence has ceased.

(Source: Ordinance No. 911.)