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Here's how to find out if the state is holding your valuables or money

Liz McColm with the Attorney General's office said items wind up in the state's hands because banks can only hold on to abandoned safe deposit boxes for so long.

INDIANAPOLIS — Gold watches, a diamond necklace and baseball cards.

Those are just some of the items sitting with the state waiting to be claimed by their rightful owners.

Liz McColm with the Attorney General's office said items wind up in the state's hands because banks can only hold on to abandoned safe deposit boxes for so long.

"Normally after inactivity for three to five years, the safe deposit boxes will find their way to us," McColm said. 

That's where the belongings sit, waiting to be claimed, for another three years.

When time is up, items make their way to eBay, where they're sold to bidders all over the country.

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Some of the items coming up include a diamond and gold necklace conservatively appraised for $3,500 and a women's 18-karat Rolex appraised for $5,000.

"A lot of our items are going for higher than what they've been appraised for. So that's great news for the owners of the safe deposit boxes because the funds they get back would be more than what they were originally appraised for," McColm said.

Even after an item is sold, proceeds can still be claimed by the rightful owner for quite a bit of time, Attorney General Todd Rokita said.

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"Go and look at IndianaUnclaimed.gov. Just run your name because we may have cash for you," Rokita said.

People can also text CLAIM to 46220.

Once a year, it's important to run your name on the site.  Not only will items possibly show up, but money as well. 

It's also an important reminder to tell trusted family members about safe deposit boxes so items don't end up in the state's hands.

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