§ 1224. Abandoned vehicles. 1. A motor vehicle shall be deemed to be\nan abandoned vehicle if left unattended\n (a) with no number plates affixed thereto, for more than six hours on\nany highway or other public place;\n (b) for more than twenty-four hours on any highway or other public\nplace, except a portion of a highway or public place on which parking is\nlegally permitted;\n (c) for more than forty-eight hours, after the parking of such vehicle\nshall have become illegal, if left on a portion of a highway or public\nplace on which parking is legally permitted;\n (d) for more than ninety-six hours on property of another if left\nwithout permission of the owner.\n 2. If an abandoned vehicle, at the time of abandonment, has no number\nplates affixed and is of a wholesale value, taking into consideration\nthe condition of the vehicle, of two thousand two hundred fifty dollars\nor less, ownership shall immediately vest in the local authority having\njurisdiction thereof and title to the vehicle shall vest in accordance\nwith applicable law and regulations of the commissioner, provided\nhowever that a local authority shall not be required to obtain title to\nan abandoned vehicle that is subject to the provisions of this\nsubdivision if the vehicle will be sold or otherwise disposed of as junk\nor salvage, dismantled for use other than as a motor vehicle, or\notherwise destroyed.\n 3. (a) Except for vehicles governed by subdivision two, a local\nauthority having custody of an abandoned vehicle shall make an inquiry\nconcerning the last owner of such vehicle as follows:\n (i) abandoned vehicle with number plates affixed--to the jurisdiction\nwhich issued such number plates;\n (ii) abandoned vehicle with no number plates affixed--the department\nof motor vehicles.\n (b) Such local authority shall notify the last owner, if known, that\nthe vehicle in question has been recovered as an abandoned vehicle and\nthat, if unclaimed, it will be sold at public auction or by bid after\nten days from the date such notice was given. If the agency described in\nparagraph (a) also notifies such local authority that a lien or mortgage\nexists such notice shall also be sent to the lienholder or mortgagee.\nThe commissioner shall prescribe the methods of giving notice. Any\nperson claiming such vehicle shall be required to pay the costs of\nremoval and storage of such vehicle.\n (c) Ownership of such abandoned vehicles, if unclaimed, shall vest in\nsuch local authority ten days from the date such notice is given; or if\nthe last owner cannot be ascertained, when notice of such fact is\nreceived.\n 4. For the purposes of this section, a local authority entitled to\ncustody of an abandoned vehicle shall be the town in which the vehicle\nwas abandoned, or if abandoned in a city or village, the city or village\nin which the vehicle was abandoned, except that if a vehicle is\nabandoned on property of the New York state thruway authority or\nproperty under the jurisdiction of the office of parks, recreation and\nhistoric preservation, the department of transportation, or a public\nauthority or commission, such authority, office, department or\ncommission shall be entitled to the custody of such vehicle.\nNotwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the\noffice of general services shall be entitled to the custody of any\nvehicle abandoned on state property subsequent to its sale by such\noffice. The commissioner may, by regulation, provide that a county may\nact as the agent for a local authority for the purpose of removing and\ndisposing of abandoned vehicles.\n 5. (a) Such local authority shall determine if an abandoned vehicle is\nsuitable for operation on the public highways. If so, the vehicle shall\nbe sold at public auction to the highest bidder or converted pursuant to\nsubdivision six of this section.\n (b) If such local authority determines that an abandoned vehicle is\nnot suitable for operation on the public high
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