The Property and Evidence Section is responsible for securing all properties that come into the
control of the Tewksbury Police Department. Once an officer turns in such property, Property
and Evidence Section personnel retrieve it daily from the locked storage. Such property ranges
from; evidence from a crime, lost/found items, and items for safekeeping. Property that comes
into the Property and Evidence Section is assigned a property number (PR#) and secured in a
locked environment.

Property: All articles placed in secure storage within the Property and Evidence Section,
including the following:

  • Evidence: Items taken or recovered in the course of an investigation that may be used in the prosecution of a case, including photographs and latent fingerprints.
  • Found Property: Items found by members of the department or the public that have no apparent evidentiary value and where the owner cannot be readily identified or contacted.
  • Safekeeping: Items received by the department for safekeeping, such as a firearm, the personal property of an arrestee that has not been taken as evidence, and items are taken for safekeeping under the authority of law.

If you are arrested, it is the policy of the Tewksbury Police Department to safeguard any
personal property left at the Station for a maximum of 30 days from the date of arrest. You will be
given written notice of this at booking.

If you fail to retrieve your property within 30 days and that property is deemed to have no
commercial value, it will be destroyed without further notice to the owner. If the property is
deemed to have commercial value, the item may be auctioned.

When can I get my property?
Property can be retrieved from the Tewksbury Police Department by appointment only. Some
property, such as evidence, may require a court order to be released. Please call the Tewksbury
Police Department Property and Evidence personnel at (978) 640-4380 extension 417 or e-mail
property@tewksbury-ma.gov to discuss if any documents are needed and to make an
appointment to pick up your property.
 
What if I can’t come in person to pick up my property?
Property can only be collected by the owner of the property, with the following exceptions: 
 
If an arrestee is incapable of collecting his/her belongings in person, a third party may collect
their belongings for them if such a third party has a signed letter from the arrestee, authorizing the
Collection of the property. This letter must either be:
1.) Notarized;
2.) From the arrestee’s attorney; or
3.) Made on correctional/institutional facility letterhead or form which has either been
notarized or co-signed by a facility employee.