(A) Whenever a police officer finds a motor car or other vehicle parked in violation of this code or any other ordinance or state law, or finds a motor or other vehicle that has been abandoned upon the public streets of the town, or upon town property, such officer may, with the approval of the Chief of Police, have such vehicle removed by a wrecker, and the same shall be held until claimed by the legal owner or is otherwise disposed of as provided by this section or other applicable law.
(B) A wrecked car shall be moved out of the line of traffic and, if not claimed within 24 hours, shall be considered as an abandoned car. Whenever any vehicle is so removed and impounded, it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police to notify the owner thereof, or if the owner is unknown, to promptly advertise the impounding of such vehicle once in a newspaper published in the town. The owner thereof may redeem and repossess the vehicle upon payment of the costs and expenses incident to the impounding and advertising. If, at the end of 30 days from the date of the impounding of such vehicle, the owner thereof has not claimed the same and paid the charges therein provided, the Chief of Police shall advertise and sell the vehicle pursuant to the provisions of G.S. § 20-77, governing storage charges, insofar as the same are applicable to the vehicle to be sold for the towing and storage charges thereon.
(1992 Code, § 72.60) (Ord. passed 9-12-1957)
Cross-reference:
Abandoned vehicles, see Chapter 90