ACTIn ForceAct
Crimes Act 1900
229Safekeeping of things seized
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229 Safekeeping of things seized
(1) A police officer who seizes a thing as a result of searching a person
in lawful custody under this division shall—
(a) make a record of the thing seized, including a description of it
and the date when it was seized; and
(b) give the thing seized and the record of it to the police officer for
the time being in charge of the police station where the person
was searched.
(2) A police officer for the time being in charge of a police station is
responsible for the safekeeping of any thing seized as a result of a
search of a person in lawful custody under this part conducted at that
place.
(3) A police officer who has responsibility for the safekeeping of a thing
under subsection (2) shall, on release of the person from whom it was
seized, take reasonable steps to return the thing to that person or to
the owner of the thing if that person is not entitled to possession,
unless the thing affords evidence in relation to an offence.
(4) If a thing is not returned to the person from whom it was seized or the
owner under subsection (3), the police officer responsible for the
safekeeping of the thing shall—
(a) make a note on the record made under subsection (1) (a)
indicating the thing has been retained; and
(b) take reasonable steps to give a copy of that record to the person
from whom the thing was seized.