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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77843</law_id><section_number>27-34.1</section_number><catch_line>Power of fire marshal or fire chief to take property found at scene of fire or explosion; restitution of such property</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="27">Fire Protection</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Local Fire Marshals</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The fire chief, fire marshal or his designated representative is authorized to take and preserve any property found at the scene of a fire or explosion during his presence there while in the act of extinguishing such or found later with the consent of the owner or pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Right of entry to investigate cause of fire or explosion" href="/27-32.1/">27-32.1</a>, which property indicates the fire or explosion was intentionally caused. Any person whose property is so taken and held may <span class="dictionary">petition</span> the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county or city in which the property was taken or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> in vacation, for return of the property, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> upon such conditions as are appropriate for preservation of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, including the posting of <span class="dictionary">bond</span>.</p></section></text><history>1970, c. 187; 1979, c. 189.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
