Is it really possible to forget about $30,000?

Apparently Circuit City, an electronics store no longer in Thousand Oaks, is unaware it once gave Thousand Oaks $30,000 for a security deposit, according to city records.

“We’ve tried to call and have sent letters, but we can’t get a hold of them,” said Cindy Murphy, city special projects/ program coordinator.

LPC Acquisition Administration is owed $12,100, but nobody knows exactly why, Murphy said.

“That is money for oak tree deposits for a project we can’t identify,” she said.

If someone comes forward, the city will identify the project and make sure all the oak trees are alive before a refund is made, she said.

Twenty-two other companies have been identified by the city as the rightful owners of a total of about $68,000.

“These are all security deposits for building projects going back to 1992,” Murphy said.

The city owes the money and wants to pay it, but can’t if it doesn’t know how to get in touch with companies. So, on two consecutive Fridays, July 9 and 16, the city is running advertisements to let the businesses know where their money is. If there’s no response in 60 days, the city will consider the money abandoned and transfer it to the general fund.

That means that city taxpayers get the money if the following companies don’t make a claim: Northoaks Properties, $4,418.25; Air Touch Cellular, $3,000; General Telephone Security, 5,000; Lincoln Prop. Oakcreek Apartments, $500; Rosewood Associates Ltd., $1,500; Warwick Investors, $250; Regis Homes, $750; Calvert Group, $1,000; Beazer Homes, $500; Motivational Systems Inc., $250; Sobel Development T-4477, $250; PHD Homes T-4561, $250; Helga Trails, $250; Cal Select Builders, $1,000; West Pointe Homes, $1,000; William and Connie Davis, $250; EPI Enterprises, $2,500; Sam Siam, $600.

The city’s finance department is also looking for Zac Cohen, Rus L. Marsh and K. E. Okrey to give them each $785.34.

Claim forms can be obtained by calling (805) 449- 2321.