MP Rob Moore welcomes new legislation that targets auto theft and property crime

April 14, 2008 -- Ottawa, Ontario -- Rob Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, today welcomed new amendments to the Criminal Code that will target auto theft and property crime.

“Auto theft is a serious form of property crime impacting more individual Canadians than any other property crime,” said Mr. Moore. “Organized crime in particular is responsible for a large number of car thefts every year. With this legislation we’re aiming to put auto thieves out of business.”

Auto theft costs Canadians an estimated $1 billion a year, not including the $600 million it costs car insurers, which is passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums. The new legislation will give police and prosecutors better tools to fight car thieves, particularly organized crime rings that steal vehicles, alter the Vehicle Identification Number, and re-sell them in Canada or abroad, or dismantle stolen vehicles in so-called “chop shops” and re-sell the parts.

The new legislation will make it a crime to:

Alter, destroy or remove a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN);
Knowingly sell, give, transfer, transport, send or deliver goods that have been acquired criminally; and
Possess property known to be obtained through crime for the purpose of trafficking.

In addition, the new legislation grants the Canada Border Services Agency the authority to identify and prevent stolen property from leaving the country.

“This new legislation will close some of the legal loopholes that organized crime has been driving stolen vehicles through for decades,” said Mr. Moore. “Once this legislation is passed Canadians will experience fewer car thefts and fewer break-ins.”

Rob Moore is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and the MP for Fundy Royal.

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For more information, please contact:
Sean Phelan
Special Assistant – Communications
Office of Rob Moore, M.P. Fundy Royal
(613) 996-2316