ABANDONED VEHICLE NOTICE

Abandoned vehicles are increasingly becoming a problem in our neighborhoods. Bristol Township Police will be actively seeking out abandoned vehicles in our neighborhoods in order to clean up our streets.

Vehicles left on the street as abandoned cause issues for street sweepers, plow trucks, trash trucks, mail vehicles, etc. They are also an eyesore for the rest of the neighborhood.

If you have an abandoned vehicle in your neighborhood that you would like to report, please call our non-emergency number, (215) 785-4040, and give us the location and description of the vehicle. If you have questions about an abandoned vehicle, call (215) 785-4052.

Abandoned Vehicles

"ABANDONED VEHICLE.”
 

(1) A vehicle (other than a pedalcycle) shall be presumed to be abandoned under any of the following circumstances, but the presumption is rebuttable by a preponderance of the evidence:
 

(i) The vehicle is physically inoperable and is left unattended on a highway or other public property for more than 48 hours.
(ii) The vehicle has remained illegally on a highway or other public property for a period of more than 48 hours.
(iii) The vehicle is left unattended on or along a highway or other public property for more than 48 hours and does not bear all of the following:
 

(A) A valid registration plate.
(B) A current certificate of inspection.
(C) An ascertainable vehicle identification number.
 

(iv) The vehicle has remained on private property without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property for more than 24 hours.

On public roadways the Bristol Township Police Department will tag a presumed abandoned vehicle with an orange sticker then notify the registered owner by certified mail to remove the vehicle from the roadway within thirty (30) days. The Bristol Township Police Department will have a licensed Salvor remove any vehicle that is not removed from the roadway in the prescribed time by the owner. The penalty for abandoning a vehicle is a summary offense punishable:

(1) For a first offense, by a fine of $ 100.
(2) For a subsequent offense, by a fine of not less than $ 200 nor more than $ 500 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.

The owner of the vehicle will also be responsible for any fees incurred by the salvor for removal, storage, etc., unless an arrangement is made with the salvor.

If you want to report an abandoned vehicle you may call our non-emergency phone number , (215) 785-4040 and a police officer will check on the vehicle and take appropriate action. If you have questions about abandoned vehicles, or you received a notice that your vehicle is abandoned, please call (215) 785-4052.

An abandoned vehicle on private property is the responsibility of the property owner to remove. Give us a call first and we will make sure the vehicle is not stolen and make a reasonable effort to contact the owner to see why it was left on the property.