§ 2-13.07. Return of lost personal property to finders.

Where lost personal property is found or saved by a person, other than in the course of employment as an employee of any public agency, and is turned over to the Police Department in accordance with the provisions of Civil Code Section 2080.1, or otherwise, and no owner appears and proves his ownership of such property within ninety (90) days thereafter, the Police Department, if such property is of a value of $250.00 or more, shall cause to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation notice of the found or saved property. If, after seven (7) days following the first publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves ownership of the property, and the person who found or saved the property pays the cost of the publication, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property, except when such finder is an employee of any public agency who found such property in the course of employment. The Police Department may require the finder to deposit with the Police Department an amount sufficient to cover the costs of publication before so proceeding. Where such property is of a value of less than $250.00, it may be returned to the finder, except when such finder is an employee of any public agency who found such property in the course of employment, without publication of notice, after the expiration of the minimum applicable holding period specified in this chapter, if no owner appears and proves his ownership of the property. The provisions of this section shall not apply where the finder is a person prohibited by law from possessing such property.

(§ 1, Ord. 465, eff. April 8, 1981 as amended by § 1, Ord. No. 1283, eff. February 8, 2018)