Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Lost Bicycle? - Check with the Mercer Island Police Department

The Mercer Island Police Department receives found bicycles throughout the year which are usually turned in by a business owner, resident or property manager.  Many of these bicycles do not have identifying information on them and are rarely returned to their owners.  As a result, the bicycles are maintained in the Police Department Property Room for 60 days, then donated to the MI Youth and Family Thrift Store.  If a bicycle appears to have significant value, Evidence Specialist Kelly Donnelly places a “found” ad in the MI-Reporter in an effort to locate the bicycle’s owner.  If unsuccessful, those bicycles also eventually make it to the Thrift Store for donation.
If you have lost a bicycle recently, you may contact Kelly via email at Kelly.Donnelly@mercergov.org or 206-275-7934.  She will require you provide a detailed description of the bicycle which she will use to check her found property inventory.  If Kelly determines a match has been made, she will make arrangements for return of the property.
If you happen to find a bicycle or any piece of property and wish to turn it into the Police Department, you may call the non-emergency police dispatch number (425-577-5656) and request an officer stop by your home or business to pick the item up or you may bring it down to the police department lobby, located inside the Mercer Island City Hall building.  If you are interested in placing a claim on the property in the event Kelly is unable to return the item to its owner, you may file a claim only at the time you drop the item off.  You may not come back days, weeks or months later to make a claim on an item (RCW 63.21.010). There are additional obligations for the finder to fulfill which Kelly can help guide claimants through.

Lastly, it is important to record the serial numbers of your items of value, to include bicycles, televisions, other electronics and more.  These numbers are very helpful to law enforcement in tracking down owners and victims of crimes and reuniting people with their possessions.  If you haven’t yet recorded and stored your bicycle’s serial number, now is good time to do so!  Digital photos are also recommended and helpful to positively identify an item of property.