(a) Property Recovered by Police. Stolen or other property recovered by members of the police force shall be deposited and kept in a place designated by the Mayor. Each such article shall be entered in a book kept for that purpose, with the name of the owner, if ascertained, and the person from whom taken, the place where found with general circumstances, the date of its receipt and the name of the officer recovering it.
(b) Inventory to Person From Whom Taken. An inventory of all money or other property shall be given to the party from whom taken, and in case it is not claimed by some person within thirty days after such arrest and seizure it shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, be delivered to the person from whom taken, and to no other person, either attorney, agent, factor, or clerk, except by special order of the Mayor.
(ORC 737.29)
(c) Disposition to Claimant. If within thirty days such money or property is claimed by any other person, it shall be retained by such custodian until after the discharge or conviction of the person from whom taken and so long as it may be required as evidence in any case in court. If such claimant establishes to the satisfaction of the Mayor that he is the rightful owner, it shall be restored to him; otherwise, it shall be returned to the accused person, personally, and not to any attorney, agent, factor, or clerk of such accused person, except upon special order of the Mayor after all liens and claims in favor of the Municipality have first been discharged and satisfied.
(ORC 737.31)
(d) Sale of Unclaimed Property; Disposition of Proceeds. Property, unclaimed for the period of ninety days, shall be sold by the Chief of Police, or licensed auctioneer at public auction, after giving due notice thereof by advertisement, published once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. The proceeds shall be paid to the Clerk-Treasurer and be credited to the General Fund.
(ORC 737.32; A.O.)
(e) Abandoned Bicycles. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized pursuant to the authority contained in Ohio Revised Code Section 737.32 to donate any abandoned bicycles in the possession of the Gibsonburg Police Department which have been unclaimed in excess of ninety (90) days to the Gibsonburg Community Corporation, a community non-profit corporation in the Village of Gibsonburg.
(Ord. 6-2021. Passed 6-17-21.)