Collect My Property

You must phone Hamilton Police at 905-546-4734 to view and/or coordinate the release of your property. If you are recovering a firearm, please call 905-546-4733.

Items of property are released only to the legal owner of the item(s), or their authorized designate.  In most cases you will be receive notification by mail that we have property for you awaiting pickup.

Please ensure that you have filed a Lost or Stolen Property report with police.  This makes it much easier for us to match recovered property to found items through various comparisons and queries.  Occasionally, items may be recovered months or even years after being reported stolen.  Having a report on file can assist us to identify the rightful owner.

When property is being held as evidence in a criminal case, it may not be eligible or available for release.  Items seized as evidence will not be released to the public without the prior written consent of the officer in charge.

The personal property of individuals that have been arrested and detained in custody will be held for 90 days from the date of receipt. 

It is the responsibility of the owner (or their authorized designate) to make arrangements with the Property & Evidence branch to claim this property within this 90-day period.  Failure to do so will result in the disposal of the property. 

In most cases, prisoner property is released to the owner directly upon release from temporary police custody.

Yes.  An authorized designate may pick up your property as long as there is a prior arrangement in place with the Property & Evidence Branch.  That person must also present acceptable personal identification.

You or your designate must bring two pieces of personal identification, one of which must include your name, date of birth and a photo.  If a designate is attending in place of you, they must also bring a document giving them authority to act in your place. Please note that parents/legal guardians may pick up property for their minor children without this letter of authority.

We will also accept a letter indicating Power of Attorney for the owner. If you have a Power of Medical Attorney, it is not sufficient for the release of property.

The Property & Evidence Branch is located at Central Police Station, 155 King William. At this time, property pick up is by appointment only from Monday to Friday. If you need to pick up property, please call 905-546-4734 or 905-546-4733 for firearm pickup.

Found property is held for 90 days, with the exception of bicycles which are held for 30 days. During this time, police and property staff attempt to locate and notify owners.  If an owner is identified, a letter is sent advising of the recovery, and that they have 30 days to claim the property.

Items that remain unclaimed after this time, or an owner cannot be determined, may be auctioned, destroyed, or returned to the finder once the holding period has expired. In some cases, property may be returned to the individual who found it if an owner cannot be located. These items are limited to jewellery and cash only.

Auctions are conducted by a third party provider.Click here to be taken directly to the on-line auction.

Notify us immediately. If the item is still available for bid, we will contact the auctioneer and have them withdraw the item while we follow up with you. 

Filing a lost or stolen property report helps us to verify ownership. This allows police to confirm when and how the property came into police possession as well as certain details that may help identify the item as yours.