What does the term abandoned property refer to?

The term abandoned property refers to property that is no longer owned or claimed by anyone. This means that the owner has relinquished their rights to the property and no longer intends to keep it or have any claim to it. In legal contexts, once property is abandoned, it can often be taken or claimed by others since the original owner's rights have effectively been terminated.

In contrast, the other choices describe different scenarios. Items left out in the open might still have an owner who has simply misplaced them, while items used in a crime are typically evidence and still have a legal claim attached to them. Lost and found items suggest that there may still be a rightful owner who has not yet recovered their property, further emphasizing that such items cannot be considered abandoned as long as ownership remains possible.