Retrieval of Personal Property From an Impounded Vehicle

[kilkekc]

My question involves personal property located in the State of: Iowa,
Relative Arrested
Car towed after arrest.
Owner told only she can get car out of impound.
Car sits until bail is made.
Accrues storage charges that could be in excess of car value.
No evedentury police hold on vehicle
Side bar (I later learn she could have had Boyfriend retrieve car with notorized permission.)

Code of Iowa, Sec. 321.89 [b]
I cannot tell if there is a clear separation between holding the vehicle and holding the personal property in the car at the time of the arrest.

Her passport (as well as other ID) is in the car and I find it hard to believe they can hold a US Passport hostage.

Tow rep stated unequivocally that all charges must be paid for release of either personal property or vehicle.

Is there a distinction between vehicle and PP in Iowa?
We may consider her to abandon the vehicle but what are Tow Co rights on personal property?

Thanks

[Mr. Knowitall]

You're claiming this as an "abandoned vehicle" because it was "legally impounded by order of a police authority and has not been reclaimed for a period of ten days"? Basically that statute describes how notice is to be given once a vehicle is abandoned, such that the vehicle can be sold to cover the costs of towing and storage, and that "If the persons receiving the notice do not ask for a hearing or exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle or personal property within the ten-day reclaiming period, the owner, lienholders, or claimants shall no longer have any right, title, claim, or interest in or to the vehicle or the personal property."

[kilkekc]

My question was more related to the personal property in the car and the questionable right of the tow yard company to hold the personal property.
Having many contacts with the company and meeting notification requirements is not the issue.

In the car is passport, birth certificate, bank cards, drivers licence.

All things useful in identity theft.

Regardless of the vehicle being held, the concern is that why in this post 9/11 era would a tow yard be able to dispose of a US passport as they see fit?

It is hard to believe that they have the right to hold ID as abandoned "property" as though it was an Ipod.