The subject of a large number of abandoned bicycles in our neighborhood actually came up in a town hall meeting a couple of years ago and according to the police officers in attendance, the owner forfeits ownership after a certain amount of time and anyone can take the bicycle at that point. The problem is---I can't remember the details, especially how much time has to pass before the bicycle is available to anyone. My suggestion is to call the local police precinct to clarify. If you do that, it would be great if you could post the details here or on Nextdoor so that we'll all know. Thanks.

8/9/16 @ 9:49 AM, We are happy to report that your request has been completed by the assigned agency. We at the City of Richmond truly appreciate your proactive approach to resolve this issue.