(a) Whenever any personal property of any kind, except money, comes into the custody of the State Police and the person entitled to possession of the same cannot be located and fails to claim the same for a period of 1 year, the Superintendent of the State Police may dispose of the same at public sale at some place which shall be convenient and accessible to the public, provided that the time, place and terms of said sale, together with a description of said personal property, shall be inserted in 1 or more daily newspapers published in the State at least once each week for 2 successive weeks prior to said sale. The Superintendent shall in the Superintendent’s discretion fix the terms of sale and may employ an auctioneer to make the sale. If the personal property be of the kind for which a certificate of title or registration shall or should have been issued by any commissioner, commission or department, whether state or federal, the Superintendent shall cause notice by registered mail to be sent at least 10 days prior to the sale to the owner and lien holder, if any, shown on the records of such commissioner, commission or department, or to the person entitled to the possession thereof, if an address be known or if it can be ascertained by the exercise of reasonable diligence; and if said address cannot be so ascertained, then such notice shall not be required to be given.

(b) After deducting from the proceeds of the sale the expense of making the same and the amount of storage and any other repair or tow charges incurred during the period in which the same was in custody, and after the payment of all liens to which said property was subject in the order of their priority, the balance remaining, if any, shall be paid into the Police Retirement Fund of the State Police. If the owner or the person entitled to the possession of personal property, sold as aforesaid, shall present to the Superintendent a claim, duly sworn to, at any time within 3 years from the date of such sale, for the balance remaining from the proceeds of such sale, the Superintendent shall cause to be paid from said Police Retirement Fund the amount of such balance, without interest, to such claimant. If no claim for such balance is made within 3 years from the date of such sale, such balance shall become the property of said Police Retirement Fund in the same manner as other sums contributed thereto.

(c) Whenever any lost, abandoned or stolen money comes into the custody of the State Police, the Superintendent of the State Police shall make a reasonable effort to locate the owner thereof. If the owner of any stolen money cannot be located or fails to claim such stolen money within 1 year from the date that it came into the custody of the State Police, such money shall become the property of the State Police Retirement Fund in the same manner as other sums contributed thereto. If the owner of any lost or abandoned money cannot be located or fails to claim such lost or abandoned money within 1 year from the date that it came into the custody of the State Police, such money shall become the property of the person who delivered custody of such money to the State Police and shall be returned by the Superintendent to such person as soon as is practicable.

(d) No action for the recovery of personal property, money or damages arising under this section shall be brought after the expiration of 3 years from the accruing of the cause of such action; provided, however, that this subsection shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver of any immunity from suit to which the Superintendent of State Police may otherwise by law be entitled.

(e) The certificate of the Superintendent that any such personal property has been sold to a purchaser as provided in this section shall constitute sufficient evidence of title to any property so sold in order to enable any such purchaser to obtain a certificate of title and registration from the appropriate commissioner, commission or department, which shall recognize such certificate of the Superintendent as sufficient authority for the issuance of a certificate of title and registration.

(f) This section shall not apply to any property the disposition of which is provided for elsewhere in this title.

11 Del. C. 1953, § 8307; 50 Del. Laws, c. 239, § 1; 61 Del. Laws, c. 95, §§ 1-3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.