Claiming Found Property

Overview

Property in the custody of the Monroe Police Department is held for the following reasons:

  • Evidence
  • Found / abandoned
  • Pending forfeiture
  • Safekeeping

Claiming Impounded Property

Property is released only to the legal owner of the property or their designate and by appointment only. Please call our Evidence Department at 360-794-6300 to inquiry about your property.

If property is being held as evidence in a criminal case, it cannot be released without a release order from the prosecutor.

Lost Property

If you have lost an item within the city limits of Monroe, you may report the lost item by calling 360-794-6300 or you can stop by our office at Monroe Police Department at 818 West Main Street.

Found Property

The Monroe Police Department makes every effort to identify owners of found property that is turned in to us. However, if the owner is not located after 60 days, any unclaimed property is either destroyed or auctioned pursuant to RCW Chapter 63. However, if you have found lost property and would like to make a claim, please see our section on claiming found property.

Claiming Found Property

If you have located found property and have turned it in to the Monroe Police Department, you can make a request to claim it. To make a claim, you must:

  • Contact the Monroe Police Department and complete a Found Property Rights Statement Form (PDF) indicating your desire to file claim to the property.
  • Take the required steps outlined in RCW Chapter 63.21 for filing claim.
  • Wait 60 days and bring evidence that you have complied with the requirements of RCW Chapter 63.21.

Note: This procedure applies to all property found by citizens and turned in to the Monroe Police Department.

Auction Information

We use Property Room for all of our property auctions. Our surplus, found, unclaimed, and forfeited property auctions will be conducted on the Internet. Interested persons may view the items and submit their bids by logging onto Property Room. Property Room currently has thousands of police departments through out the United States that use their website for auctions.

If you have any questions, please call the Monroe Police Department at 360-794-6300.