(a) Any person who abandons any motor vehicle within the limits of any highway or upon property other than such person’s own without the consent of the owner thereof for a period longer than twenty-four hours shall have committed an infraction and shall be fined not less than eighty-five dollars. The last owner of record of a motor vehicle found abandoned, as shown by the files of the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall be deemed prima facie to have been the owner of such motor vehicle at the time it was abandoned and the person who abandoned the same or caused or procured its abandonment.

      (b) Any inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles, any officer attached to an organized police department, any enforcement officer of a parking authority authorized under an ordinance adopted pursuant to section 7-204a to enforce parking regulations in the municipality in which it is located or any state police officer upon discovery of any motor vehicle, whether situated within or without any highway of this state, which is a menace to traffic or public health or safety, shall take such motor vehicle into such inspector’s or officer’s custody and cause the same to be taken to and stored in a suitable place.

      (c) Any inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles, any officer attached to an organized police department, any enforcement officer of a parking authority authorized under an ordinance adopted pursuant to section 7-204a to enforce parking regulations in the municipality in which it is located or any state police officer, upon discovery of any motor vehicle apparently abandoned or a motor vehicle without proper registration, whether situated within or without any highway of this state, shall affix to such motor vehicle a notification sticker in a manner so as to be readily visible. This notification sticker shall contain the following information: (1) The date and time the notification sticker was affixed to the motor vehicle; (2) a statement that pursuant to this section, if the motor vehicle is not removed within twenty-four hours of the time the sticker was affixed, it shall be taken into custody and stored at the owner’s expense; (3) the location and telephone number where additional information may be obtained; and (4) the identity of the affixing officer. If the motor vehicle is not removed within such twenty-four-hour period, the affixing department or parking authority shall take such motor vehicle into its custody and cause the same to be stored in a suitable place, except that such department or parking authority shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner of any such motor vehicle which is determined to be stolen prior to taking such vehicle into its custody and shall allow such owner to make arrangements for removal of such vehicle.

      (d) If the motor vehicle has no registration marker plates or invalid registration marker plates, and if such inspector or officer makes a determination in good faith that (1) the motor vehicle is apparently abandoned, (2) the market value of such motor vehicle in its current condition is five hundred dollars or less, and (3) the motor vehicle is so vandalized, damaged, or in disrepair as to be unusable as a motor vehicle, title to such motor vehicle shall, upon taking custody of such motor vehicle, immediately vest in the municipality in which the motor vehicle was discovered. Within forty-eight hours of the time that such motor vehicle is taken into custody, the affixing department or parking authority shall notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in writing, of the vehicle identification number and a description of the motor vehicle. Upon sale or other disposition of the motor vehicle, the affixing department or parking authority shall give written notice by certified mail to the person who was the owner of such motor vehicle at the time of abandonment, if known, which notice shall state that the motor vehicle has been sold or otherwise disposed of. The proceeds of the sale or disposition, or the fair market value of the motor vehicle in its current condition, whichever is greater, less the towing and sale or disposal expenses and the amount of any fines due, shall be paid to such person or such person’s representatives, if claimed by such person or them within one year from the date of sale. If such balance is not claimed within such period, it shall escheat to the municipality. If the expenses incurred by the municipality for towing and the sale or disposition of such motor vehicle and any such fines exceed the proceeds of such sale or disposition, such person shall be liable to such municipality for such excess amount.

      (e) Within forty-eight hours of the time that a motor vehicle is taken into custody and stored pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section, the affixing department or parking authority shall give written notice by certified mail to the owner and any lienholders of such motor vehicle, if the same appears on the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which notice shall state (1) that the motor vehicle has been taken into custody and stored, (2) the location of storage of the motor vehicle, (3) that, unless title has already vested in the municipality pursuant to subsection (d), such motor vehicle may be sold after fifteen days if the market value of such motor vehicle does not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars or after forty-five days if the value of such motor vehicle exceeds one thousand five hundred dollars, and (4) that the owner has a right to contest the validity of such taking by application, on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, to the hearing officer named in such notice within ten days from the date of such notice. Such application forms shall be made readily available to the public at all offices of the Department of Motor Vehicles, parking authorities authorized under an ordinance adopted pursuant to section 7-204a to enforce parking regulations and state and local police departments.

      (f) (1) The chief executive officer of each town shall appoint a suitable person, who shall not be a member of any state or local police department, to be a hearing officer to hear applications to determine whether or not the towing within such municipality of such motor vehicle was authorized under the provisions of this section. Two or more towns may join in appointing such hearing officer; provided any such hearing shall be held at a location which is as near to the town within which such motor vehicle was towed as is reasonable and practicable. The commissioner shall establish by regulation the qualifications necessary for hearing officers and procedures for the holding of such hearings. If it is determined at such hearing that the vehicle was not a menace to traffic, abandoned or unregistered, as the case may be, the owner of such motor vehicle shall not be liable for any expenses incurred as a result of the taking and storage of such motor vehicle, the lien provisions of this section shall not apply to such owner, and the department which took and stored such motor vehicle shall be liable for such expenses. If the owner, prior to such determination, pays such expenses and the storage charges of such motor vehicle, and it is determined at such hearing that the motor vehicle was not a menace to traffic, abandoned or unregistered, as the case may be, the department or parking authority which took such motor vehicle shall be liable to such owner for the amount paid by such owner. Any person aggrieved by the decision of such hearing officer may, within fifteen days of the notice of such decision, appeal to the superior court for the judicial district wherein such hearing was held.

      (2) The chief executive officer of each municipality shall designate a suitable person who shall be responsible for the collection of data concerning abandoned motor vehicles within such municipality