Can the impound lot take your belongings from your car?

Answer 1

There is a time period between when it is impounded and they can dispose of the vehicle, usually selling it for storage fees. You have the right to pay the fine and storage up to the date it is to be sold. Anything that was in the car at the time of impound is supposed to stay in the car. It is still yours until you loose the right to it by letting it stay in impound until the grace period runs out. The time limit is going to vary between different levels of the law and place to place. They have to notify you of the impound by sending a certified letter to the last known address. They don't have to look for you, just the last address they have which is probably the registration. Once the time limit is reached the car and contents will be sold. That's how it's supposed to work, but very often the car gets looked through and anything of any real value is removed by the workers in the impound. There is not a lot you can do because you can't prove what was in the car when it was impounded and the worker at the impound will always be believed over a civilian. It's not right, just the way it is.