(1) No person shall knowingly buy, sell, offer for sale, receive, or possess any motor vehicle or component part thereof from which the vehicle identification number or any number placed on said vehicle or component part for its identification by the manufacturer has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed unless such vehicle or component part has attached thereto a special identification number assigned or approved by the department in lieu of the manufacturer's number. (2) Whenever such motor vehicle or component part comes into the custody of a peace officer, it shall be destroyed, sold, or otherwise disposed of under the conditions provided in an order by the court having jurisdiction. No court order providing for disposition shall be issued unless the person from whom the property was seized and all claimants to the property whose interest or title is on the records in the department of revenue are provided a postseizure hearing by the court having jurisdiction within a reasonable period after the seizure. This postseizure hearing shall be held on those motor vehicles or component parts for which true ownership is in doubt, including, but not limited to, those motor vehicles or component parts that are altered to the extent that they cannot be identified, those motor vehicles or component parts that are composed of parts belonging to several different claimants, and those motor vehicles or component parts for which there are two or more existing titles. This subsection (2) shall not apply with respect to such motor vehicle or component part used as evidence in any criminal action or proceeding. Nothing in this section shall, however, preclude the return of such motor vehicle or component part to the owner by the seizing agency following presentation of satisfactory evidence of ownership and, if it is determined to be necessary, upon assignment of an identification number to the vehicle or component part by the department of revenue. There shall be no special identification number issued for a component part unless it is a component part of a complete motor vehicle. (3) Whenever such motor vehicle or component part comes into the custody of a peace officer, the person from whom the property was seized and all claimants to the property whose interest or title is noted on the records of the department of revenue shall be notified within ninety days of seizure of the seizing agency's intent to commence a postseizure hearing as described in subsection (2) of this section. Such notice shall contain the following information: (a) The name and address of the person or persons from whom the motor vehicle or component part was seized; (b) A statement that the motor vehicle or component part has been seized for investigation as provided in this section and that the property will be released upon a determination that the identification number has not been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed or upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence of the ownership of such motor vehicle or component part if no other person claims an interest in the property within thirty days of the date the notice is mailed; otherwise, a hearing regarding the disposition of such motor vehicle or component part shall take place in the court having jurisdiction; (c) A statement that the person from whom the property was seized and all claimants to the motor vehicle or component part whose interest or title is on the records in the department of revenue will have notification of the seizing agency's intention to commence a postseizure hearing, and such notice shall be sent to the last-known address by registered mail within ninety days of the date of seizure; (d) The name and address of the law enforcement agency where the evidence of ownership of such motor vehicle or component part may be presented; (e) A statement or copy of the text contained in this section. (4) (a) A hearing on the disposition of the motor vehicle or component part shall be held by the court having jurisdiction within a reasonable time after the seizure. The hearing shall be before the court without a jury. (b) If the evidence reveals either that the identification number has not been removed, altered, or destroyed or that the identification has been removed, altered, or destroyed but satisfactory evidence of ownership has been presented, then the motor vehicle or component part shall be released to the person entitled thereto. Nothing in this section shall preclude the return of such motor vehicle or component part to a good faith purchaser following the presentation of satisfactory evidence of ownership thereof, and, if necessary, said good faith purchaser may be required to obtain an assigned identification number from the motor vehicle group. (c) If the evidence reveals that the identification number of the motor vehicle or the component part has been removed, altered, or destroyed and satisfactory evidence of ownership has not been presented, then the property shall be destroyed, sold, or converted to the use of the seizing agency or otherwise disposed of as provided by court order. (d) At the hearing, the seizing agency shall have the burden of establishing that the identification number of the motor vehicle or the component part has been removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed. (e) At the hearing, any claimant to the property shall have the burden of providing satisfactory evidence of ownership.
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