All proceeds from the property sold, as well as unclaimed found money, are awarded to the Wake County Public School System as prescribed by law. An item is considered to be evidence if it relates to the commission of a crime which is currently under investigation. Due to the way evidence is used in an investigation and at trial, it is handled differently from property. Evidence is kept in a vault where entry is limited to the evidence custodian and the alternate evidence custodian. These measures are necessary to protect and control large amounts of cash, illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, and firearms and other weapons.
Evidence is maintained until a case reaches a conclusion.
The evidence is then returned to the rightful owner, destroyed in compliance with state and federal laws, or used by the department.