In most jurisdictions that I am aware of, law enforcement is required to turn in any found property. The chips are undoubtably found property. It may not be possible to battle thru the nuances of the law to determine who is in fact the legal owners, but that could result in the chips being at issue in any number of potential civil matters, I can see a conflict of laws case easy, and even if there turns out to be no claim of ownership, unclaimed found property by law enforcement is sold at auction inmost places. The idea is we don't want law enforcement finding cars, bikes, cash, jewelry, or purses and keeping them as abandoned property. You and I may lay claim to abandoned property, but in most places, not law enforcement.