I actually meant to do this at Christmas, when so many people give/receive items like iPods and big-screen TVs and computers and whatnot...but better late than never, yeah?
If your local police department property room has your property, they've gotten it in one of a couple of ways:
1. You've been arrested/picked up on an outstanding warrant, or
2. Your house/car/person has been burgled, or
3. You dropped/left an item somewhere, and it was either found by someone decent enough to turn it in, or an officer found it and turned it in.
( If you've been arrested: )( Your house-car-person has been burgled: )( You dropped/left an item somewhere, and it was either found by someone decent enough to turn it in, or an officer found it and turned it in: )( And finally, firearms. )Whew. That's a lot of information, isn't it? Sorry. But it's good, useful information, I think.
Always keep multiple copies of information, and never together in the same place. Keep your personal information (address, in particular) up-to-date on your driver's license. Put your name on your bike. If you have to contact your local police property room, don't call there spoiling for a fight. Yes, you may be the victim, and you've gotten the run-around from fifteen different people...but the clerk on the other end of the phone is only doing his or her job within the guidelines provided to them. We can't 'bend the rules', not for you, not for anyone. Be polite and you'll probably get a lot more assistance, a lot more readily.
And if you're not the victim, if you've done something you've been arrested for, for heaven's sake, don't cop an attitude with us. We didn't tell you to go out and do whatever thing it was that got you arrested in the first place!
Like I said at the beginning of this monstrosity, specifics are going to vary from police dept to police dept. But don't wait until you've lost something, or had it stolen, or whatever, to find out what those specifics are. Call your local police non-emergency line, or look the property room up in the phone book and call them, and ask.
And if you have any questions, ask away. I might not be able to answer them, but I might, too :) (And feel free to link to this, if anyone wants to. Assuming I haven't scared y'all away yet! *G*)