Found property may be claimed by the finder if the legal owner is not located. The property must be turned over to the police department and maintained for 90 days and bicycles must be maintained for 30 days. The following procedures must be followed in order to claim the found item:

• An advertisement must be placed in the local paper providing a general description, general location and date the property was found. The advertisement must run once a week for two consecutive weeks and include the Property & Evidence unit's phone number (757) 385-4578. The potential owner must contact the police department and not the finder to determine ownership of the found item.
  
• After the advertisement has run the specified amount of time, the finder must bring a copy of the advertising bill or a copy of the advertisement and proper identification to Property & Evidence in order to claim the property.
  
• If the owner is located prior to the finder taking possession, the property will be returned to the lawful owner.
  
• The City of Virginia Beach will not reimburse you for any expenses that you may incur.​

​How to Claim Your Property

To claim your property, come to Property & Evidence with a valid picture ID and the report and/or voucher number. View the list of unclaimed property slated for disposal . This is not a complete list of unclaimed property. To inquire if an item of your property is in the possession of the Property & Evidence unit, please contact the office using the information below. Property that remains unclaimed will be disposed of after 90 days, in accordance with city code.​

Anyone who claims a firearm must have a Virginia State Police criminal background check completed to ensure that they are eligible by law to possess a firearm. Please arrive no later than 3:30 pm to allow enough time to complete the paperwork for the criminal background check. The results of the background check can take up to 7 days to receive. Persons who have been involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment; convicted of a felony or domestic assault; or are under a protective order are not eligible to possess a firearm.

Money will be returned in the form of a check drawn from the Property & Evidence bank account.

To have property (except firearms) shipped to you, complete this form (PD405) in its entirety and return it to the Property & Evidence unit at the address provided. Please note, this form requires notarization in order to be processed.

To have firearms shipped to your local Federal Firearms License (FFL), complete this form (PD404) in its entirety and return it to the Property & Evidence unit at the address provided. Please note, this form requires notarization in order to be processed. Once the completed form is received, we will verify the information provided before shipping the firearm to the selected FFL. Under federal law, the FFL is required to conduct a criminal background check to ensure the recipient is eligible to possess the firearm. ​Persons who have been involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment; convicted of a felony or domestic assault; or are under a protective order are not eligible to possess a firearm.

​Notification of Held Property