Crimes Act 1900

A police officer who seizes a thing as a result of searching a person in lawful custody under this division shall—

make a record of the thing seized, including a description of it and the date when it was seized; and

give the thing seized and the record of it to the police officer for the time being in charge of the police station where the person was searched.

A police officer for the time being in charge of a police station is responsible for the safekeeping of any thing seized as a result of a search of a person in lawful custody under this part conducted at that place.

A police officer who has responsibility for the safekeeping of a thing under subsection (2) shall, on release of the person from whom it was seized, take reasonable steps to return the thing to that person or to the owner of the thing if that person is not entitled to possession, unless the thing affords evidence in relation to an offence.

If a thing is not returned to the person from whom it was seized or the owner under subsection (3), the police officer responsible for the safekeeping of the thing shall—

make a note on the record made under subsection (1) (a) indicating the thing has been retained; and

take reasonable steps to give a copy of that record to the person from whom the thing was seized.