8(1)An officer of a local weights and measures authority may seize and retain an item other than a document (for which see paragraph 9).
(2)An officer seizing an item under this paragraph from premises which are occupied must produce evidence of the officer’s identity and authority to an occupier of the premises before seizing it.
(3)The officer need not comply with sub-paragraph (2) if it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
(4)An officer seizing an item under this paragraph must take reasonable steps to—
(a)inform the person from whom it is seized that it has been seized, and
(b)provide that person with a written record of what has been seized.
(5)An item seized under this paragraph (except an item seized for the purpose in paragraph 1(2)(b)) may not be detained—
(a)for a period of more than 3 months beginning with the day on which it was seized, or
(b)where the item is reasonably required to be retained for a longer period by the officer for a purpose for which it was seized, for longer than it is required for that purpose.