Section 51

Whenever any person dies leaving movable property in Singapore under $500 in value, which property is, in the absence of any person entitled thereto, taken charge of by the police for the purpose of safe custody, the Deputy Commissioner may, if he 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 he 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 he may require:Provided that in the event of any such property being of a perishable nature and likely to deteriorate in value by being kept, the Deputy Commissioner may order the sale thereof, and the proceeds of such sale shall be dealt with in the same manner as the property is by this section to be dealt with.

The Deputy Commissioner may, at his discretion, before making any order under subsection (1), take such security as he may think proper for the due administration and distribution of such property.

Nothing in this section shall affect 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.

Any property taken charge of under this section and not claimed within a period of one month, may, with the exception of money, be sold by order of the Deputy Commissioner and the proceeds of such sale, together with any such money, shall if amounting to $100 or less be paid into the Police Fund and if exceeding $100 be paid into the Consolidated Fund after payment of the sum of $100 into the Police Fund:Provided that if thereafter the owner of such property appears and claims the same, restitution shall be made, on the claim being established to the satisfaction of the Deputy Commissioner. [50