Singapore legislation
Section 53
Section 53
Disposal of forfeited or detained vehicles
(1)
Where any vehicle is forfeited by the Authority under section 51, an authorised officer may, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette of his or her intention to do so —
sell by public auction or tender the vehicle and any uncollected item left in or on the vehicle; or
destroy or otherwise dispose of the vehicle, article or thing (as the case may be).
(2)
However, the Authority may direct that a vehicle that is forfeited by the Authority under section 51(3) and is the subject of a notice under subsection (1) be returned to a person if —
before the end of the period of the notice in subsection (1), the Authority receives from that person a written objection to the intended sale, destruction or disposal of the vehicle and showing good cause why possession of the vehicle should be returned to the person; and
there is no reasonable cause for the Authority to believe that an offence under this Act has been committed and the vehicle was the subject matter, or was used in the commission, of the offence.
(3)
Where a vehicle or an article or a thing is moved to a holding yard under section 45 or 46, or a vehicle is surrendered at a holding yard under section 50, it becomes unclaimed if, at the end of 30 days after the day on which the vehicle, article or thing was so moved or surrendered —
there is no person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Authority, to be the owner of the vehicle, article or thing, as the case may be; or
there is such a person but that person has not exercised his or her right to recover the vehicle, article or thing by a claim.
(4)
Where a vehicle, article or thing which is moved to or surrendered at a holding yard under section 45, 46 or 50 becomes unclaimed, an authorised officer may, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette of his or her intention to do so —
sell by public auction or tender the vehicle, article or thing (as the case may be) and any uncollected item left in or on the vehicle, article or thing; or
destroy or otherwise dispose of the vehicle, article or thing, as the case may be.
(5)
Despite subsection (4), where it appears to the Authority that any vehicle, article or thing which is moved to a holding yard under section 45 or 46 —
is —
a non‑compliant personal mobility device, non‑compliant bicycle, non‑compliant PAB or non‑compliant mobility vehicle; and
of such a nature or in such condition that it would be dangerous for the Authority to retain custody, or its detention in a holding yard materially increases the likelihood of an outbreak of fire at the holding yard;
is a perishable article or thing that may rapidly depreciate in value; or
is an article or a thing of such a nature or in such condition that it would be dangerous for the Authority to retain custody of the article or thing,the Authority may, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette of its intention to do so, cause the vehicle, article or thing to be —
sold (by public auction or otherwise) at once; or
destroyed or otherwise disposed of at once in such manner as the Authority thinks fit.
(6)
The proceeds of a sale by public auction or tender of any vehicle, article or thing under subsection (1), (4) or (5) must be applied as follows:
firstly, in payment of the expenses occasioned by the sale;
secondly, in payment of storage or other expenses incurred by the Authority in relation to the vehicle, article or thing;
thirdly, by payment of the balance into the Consolidated Fund.
(7)
A purchaser of a vehicle, article, item or thing sold in accordance with subsection (1), (4) or (5) acquires good title to that vehicle, article, item or thing.
(8)
If the owner of a vehicle is convicted of or has been permitted to compound an offence under this Act, the expenses incurred by the Authority in carrying out the provisions of this section are recoverable by the Authority and, in case of dispute or neglect to pay, may be summarily ascertained by a Magistrate’s Court and may be recovered in the same manner as if the expenses were fines imposed by that Court.
(9)
If —
before the end of one year starting on the date a vehicle, an article or a thing was moved to a holding yard under section 45 or 46; but(b)after the vehicle, article or thing has been sold, destroyed or disposed of under subsection (5),a person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Authority, to be the owner of the vehicle, article or thing claims that vehicle, article or thing, the Authority may pay the person, out of the funds of the Authority, the balance after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Authority in moving, storing and selling, destroying or disposing of the vehicle, article or thing (as the case may be) from the value of the vehicle, article or thing when it was moved to a holding yard.