They’re not just taking up store space. Retailers say the machines interfere with remodeling plans and expose them to potential safety hazards and liabilities. Some kiosks are hardwired into stores’ electrical systems. Outdoor machines are bolted into the concrete foundations and contain a coolant that is supposed to be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner
someone bought those machines in liquidation, whether they want them or not, or even know if they’re theirs
It’s a risk to remove the machine and do something with it if whoever that is eventually says “give those the fuck back to me I wanna sell em to nerds who’ll use em for their collections” or whatever
There’s a certain point where they become abandoned property, and you can just do with them whatever you want. My guess is that it’s some point after the existing contract runs out, plus 30/90/365 days or whatever. Possibly requiring a court order, public notice, or something else. This will depend entirely on your jurisdiction’s laws on abandoned property.