PART 11
UNCLAIMED PROPERTY AND ESTATES OF INTESTATES
Lost property
108.—(1)  Where any lost property is deposited with a police officer at a police station or otherwise, the lost property is to be disposed of as follows:
(a)if the lost property is cash, it must, unless it is required to assist in the identification of its owner, be paid into a deposit account (within the meaning of the Financial Procedure Act 1966) specially established for this purpose, and the cash is deemed to be lost property in the custody of the Police Force;
(b)if there is a person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, to be the owner, the lost property in the custody of the Police Force must be returned to that person unless that person —
(i)cannot be located after reasonable inquiry; or
(ii)does not exercise his or her right to recover the property;
(c)if the lost property becomes unclaimed property, the Commissioner may cause the whole or any part of unclaimed property —
(i)to be sold (by public auction or otherwise) and the proceeds of the sale to be paid into the Consolidated Fund;
(ii)if cash, to be forfeited and paid into the Consolidated Fund; or
(iii)to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner thinks fit.
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(2)  Where any lost property is deposited with a police officer under subsection (1), the lost property becomes unclaimed property if, at the end of 30 days after the day on which the property was so deposited —
(a)there is no person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, to be the owner of the lost property; or
(b)there is such a person but that person has not been located after reasonable inquiry or that person has not exercised his or her right to recover the lost property by a claim.
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(3)  The proceeds of a sale of unclaimed property under this section must be applied as follows:
(a)firstly, in payment of the expenses occasioned by the sale;
(b)secondly, in payment of storage or other expenses incurred by the Commissioner in relation to the property;
(c)thirdly, by payment of the balance into the Consolidated Fund.
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(4)  A person who buys movable property that is lost property sold by or on the authority of the Commissioner under this section obtains good title to that property.
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(5)  Despite subsection (1), if a person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, to be the owner of lost property claims, before the end of one year starting from the day on which the property was deposited with a police officer under subsection (1), that property after it has become unclaimed property, the Commissioner may do as follows:
(a)if the property remains in the custody of the Police Force, the Commissioner may authorise the property to be returned to the person;
(b)if the property (being cash) or the proceeds of the sale of the property were paid into the Consolidated Fund, the Commissioner may authorise the refund of the property or the proceeds of the sale to the person.
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(6)  A finder of any lost property deposited under subsection (1) has no rights in relation to that property by reason of being the finder, and a police officer who comes into possession of any lost property in the course of his or her duties does not have the rights of a finder in relation to that property.
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Power to administer estates of intestates
109.—(1)  Whenever any person dies leaving movable property in Singapore under $1,000 in value, which property is, in the absence of any person entitled to that property, taken charge of by the police for the purpose of safe custody, the Commissioner may, if the Commissioner thinks fit, order that property to be delivered, without letters of administration taken out, to any person claiming to be entitled to the whole or any part thereof, if the Commissioner is satisfied as to the title of the claimant and the value of the property by the oath or affirmation of the claimant, or by such other evidence as the Commissioner may require.
(2)  The Commissioner may, before making any order under subsection (1), take such security as the Commissioner may think proper for the due administration and distribution of such property.
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(3)  Nothing in this section affects the right of any person to recover such property or any of it from the person to whom it may have been delivered pursuant to such order.
(4)  If at the end of one month after any property (other than cash) taken charge under this section, no person has established a claim to the property to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, or immediately (even if less than one month) after the owner has given the Commissioner written notice that he or she is not claiming the property, the Commissioner may —
(a)arrange for the property to be disposed of by public auction or otherwise; and
(b)apply the proceeds of the sale to meet the expenses incurred by the Commissioner in storing and disposing of the property, and pay the balance (if any) to the Consolidated Fund.
(5)  Despite anything in this section, where the owner of any movable property appears after it has been disposed under subsection (4) and claims the same, restitution must be made, on the claim being established to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.
Perishable or low value property, etc.
110.—(1)  Where it appears to the Commissioner that any lost property referred to in section 108 or any property of a deceased person referred to in section 109 —
(a)is cash of not more than $1,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency;
(b)is perishable;
(c)may rapidly depreciate in value; or
(d)is of such a nature or in such condition that it would be dangerous, not reasonably practicable or unduly costly for the Police Force to retain custody of the property,
this section applies despite sections 108 and 109.
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(2)  Subject to subsection (3), where this section applies to any lost property and any property of a deceased person referred to in sections 108 and 109, respectively, the Commissioner may cause the property —
(a)to be paid into the Consolidated Fund at once;
(b)to be sold (by public auction or otherwise) at once and the proceeds of sale to be paid into the Consolidated Fund; or
(c)to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner thinks fit.
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(3)  Where any lost property or any property of a deceased person referred to in section 108 or 109 —
(a)is paid into the Consolidated Fund under subsection (2)(a); or
(b)is sold (by public auction or otherwise) under subsection (2)(b),
the cash or the proceeds of the sale (as the case may be) are to be dealt with in the same manner as the property would have been required by section 108 or 109 (as the case may be) to be dealt with if not so paid or sold.
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(4)  A person who buys property sold by or on the authority of the Commissioner under this section obtains good title to that property.
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Outsourcing function as regards lost and unclaimed property
110A.  The Commissioner (and no other) may, under his or her hand in writing, appoint any person outside of the Police Force as an independent contractor to exercise any power conferred or perform any duty imposed on the Commissioner under section 108, 109 or 110, and any reference in any such provision to the Commissioner includes a reference to such a person if appointed.
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