(a) Whenever a peace officer has probable cause to believe that property in the possession of a junk dealer or recycler is stolen, in lieu of seizing the property, the peace officer as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 21606.5, at his or her option, may place a hold on the property for a period not to exceed 90 days. When a peace officer places a hold on the property, the peace officer shall give the junk dealer or recycler a written notice at the time the hold is placed, describing the item or items to be held plus the case number. During that period the junk dealer or recycler shall not release or dispose of the property, except pursuant to a court order or upon receipt of a written authorization signed by a peace officer who is a member of the law enforcement agency of which the peace officer placing the hold on the property is a member. Except as specifically set forth in this section, a junk dealer or recycler shall not be subject to civil liability for compliance with this section.
(b) Whenever property that is in the possession of a junk dealer or recycler is subject to a hold and the property is required by a peace officer in a criminal investigation, the junk dealer or recycler, upon reasonable notice, shall produce the property at reasonable times and places or may deliver the property to any peace officer upon the request of any peace officer who is a member of the law enforcement agency of which the peace officer placing the hold on the property is a member.
(c) Whenever property that is in the possession of a junk dealer or recycler is subject to a hold and the property is no longer required for the purpose of criminal investigation, the law enforcement agency that placed the hold on the property shall undertake the following:
(1) With respect to the property being held, if the law enforcement agency has no knowledge of the property on hold being reported as stolen, the property shall be released upon written notice to the junk dealer or recycler. The notice shall be provided in a timely fashion.
(2) If the law enforcement agency has knowledge that the property has been reported stolen, the law enforcement agency shall notify the person who reported the stolen property of the name and address of the junk dealer or recycler holding the property and authorize the release of the property to that person.
The law enforcement agency that placed the property on hold shall release the hold after 60 days has elapsed following the delivery of the notice to the person who reported the property stolen.
(3) If a victim seeks to recover property that is subject to a hold, the junk dealer or recycler shall advise the victim of the name and badge number of the peace officer who placed the hold on the property and the name of the law enforcement agency of which the officer is a member. If the property is not required to be held pursuant to a criminal prosecution the hold shall be released.
(d) Upon conviction of a person for the theft of property placed on hold pursuant to this section, the court shall order the defendant to do both of the following:
(1) Pay the junk dealer or recycler reasonable costs for the storage of the property.
(2) Pay the victim for both the value of the property stolen and any reasonable collateral damage caused in the commission of the theft.
(e) The amendments to this section made by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on December 1, 2008.
(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 731, Sec. 6. Effective September 30, 2008. Amended version operative December 1, 2008, pursuant to immediate operation of new subdivision (e).)