(a) No person shall purchase, sell or have in such person's possession any motor vehicle, including construction equipment, or a major component part thereof, as defined in section 14-67h, or agricultural tractors or farm implements with a mutilated, altered or removed vehicle identification, factory or engine number or a number which shows evidence of having been tampered with, except as hereinafter provided.

(b) Any officer attached to an organized police department, any state police officer or inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon discovery of any motor vehicle, including construction equipment, or major component part thereof, as defined in section 14-67h, or agricultural tractors or farm implements, the vehicle identification, engine or factory number of which has been mutilated, altered or removed, shall take such motor vehicle or major component part if not affixed to such vehicle, or agricultural tractor or farm implement into custody. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any such motor vehicle or major component part or agricultural tractor or farm implement shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of section 54-36a, and in the case of a motor vehicle for which the owner, registration or title has been identified, a report of such action shall be made to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Such officer or inspector may take into custody the operator of such motor vehicle or agricultural tractor or farm implement or person in possession of such part and present such operator or person before a proper court. No such operator or person shall be discharged from custody until such operator or person has proved to the satisfaction of the court the ownership of such motor vehicle or such part or such agricultural tractor or farm implement and such operator's or person's right to its custody, provided any such operator or person may be admitted to bail pending proceedings thereon. If such operator or person is unable to establish ownership of such motor vehicle or such part or such agricultural tractor or farm implement to the satisfaction of the court, the court shall order such motor vehicle or part to be forfeited and turned over to the police department or agency whose officer or inspector seized such motor vehicle or part or agricultural tractor or farm implement to be used for such department or agency's purposes or sold at auction with the proceeds given to such department or agency. No officer or inspector shall be personally liable for any official act performed under the provisions of this section.

(c) Any inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon discovery of any motor vehicle or major component part, the vehicle identification, engine or factory number of which has been mutilated, altered or removed in the possession of any licensee of the department, including a new or used car dealer who has been issued an auction permit in accordance with the provisions of section 14-65, or a motor vehicle dealer or repairer authorized to tow or transport and store motor vehicles in accordance with the provisions of section 14-66, shall take such motor vehicle or major component part into custody. If the motor vehicle or major component part is owned by any such licensee or an insurance company, or if such licensee or insurance company has the right to transfer and dispose of such vehicle or major component part, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may, upon receipt of transfer of title or forfeiture of all right and interest therein and notwithstanding the method of disposition required under subsection (b) of this section, make any disposition of such motor vehicle or major component part that the commissioner deems necessary or advisable. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to construction equipment, agricultural tractors or farm implements, the vehicle identification, engine or factory number of which has been mutilated, altered or removed.

(d) Any officer attached to an organized police department, any state police officer or inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon discovery of any motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement which has been reported as stolen, shall take such motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement into custody and have it returned to its rightful owner or, if such owner cannot be determined or if such motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement is needed for evidence, shall have it taken to and stored in a suitable place.

(e) No motor vehicle shall be registered unless it has permanently cut, impressed or embossed on some portion thereof a factory, serial or identification number or mark. Any person who knowingly has in such person's possession any motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement from which the factory, serial or other identification number has been removed, defaced, obliterated or changed shall immediately file with the commissioner a sworn statement describing such motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement and showing the source of such person's title and, if known, the reason for such removal, defacement, obliteration or change, together with a fee in the amount of fifty dollars. If satisfied as to the facts, the commissioner may grant permission to cut, impress or emboss permanently into the motor of such motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement a special identification number or mark which shall thereafter be deemed sufficient for the purpose of registration of such motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement. No person shall wilfully remove, deface, obliterate or change or cause to be removed, obliterated, defaced or changed any factory, serial or other identification number or mark on or from any motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement.

(f) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, for the first offense, be guilty of a class E felony, and, for the second or subsequent offense, be guilty of a class D felony.

(1949 Rev., S. 2474; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 63; P.A. 80-292, S. 4; P.A. 81-174, S. 4; 81-337; P.A. 83-587, S. 29, 96; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-13, S. 10, 21; P.A. 00-103, S. 4; P.A. 03-265, S. 11; P.A. 13-258, S. 22.)

History: 1961 act removed obsolete references to trial justices; P.A. 80-292 amended Subsec. (a) to include vehicles with removed vehicle identification number and forbade purchase or sale of such vehicles as well as possession and amended Subsec. (c) to increase fine from $300 to $500 and term of imprisonment from six months to one year; P.A. 81-174 extended the prohibition in Subsec. (a) to include major component parts and established a procedure for disposing of motor vehicles or major component parts taken into custody; P.A. 81-337 subdivided Subsec. (a), inserted a new Subsec. (c) providing for the disposition by an officer of a motor vehicle reported as stolen and relettered former Subsecs. (b) and (c) as (d) and (e); P.A. 83-587 substituted “14-67h” for “14-67b” in Subsec. (a); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-13 added $50 fee for issuance of special identification number or mark; P.A. 00-103 added references to construction equipment, agricultural tractors and farm implements throughout section, increased the penalties in Subsec. (e) and made technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 03-265 amended Subsec. (b) to add provisions re officer attached to organized police department, state police officer or inspector of Department of Motor Vehicles, to add provision re disposition of motor vehicle, major component part, agricultural tractor or farm implement except as provided in Subsec. (c), to add requirement that, in case of motor vehicle for which owner, registration or title identified, report of action be made to Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and to make technical changes, added new Subsec. (c) re when inspector of Department of Motor Vehicles to take motor vehicle or major component part into custody, when commissioner may dispose of motor vehicle or major component part and application of subsection to construction equipment, agricultural tractors or farm implements, redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) to (e), inclusive, as Subsecs. (d) to (f), amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re officer attached to organized police department, state police officer or inspector of Department of Motor Vehicles and to make a technical change, and amended Subsec. (e) to replace “forthwith” with “immediately”; P.A. 13-258 amended Subsec. (f) to change penalty for first offense from fine of not more than $2,500 or imprisonment of not more than 3 years to class E felony, and penalty for second or subsequent offense from fine of $5,000 or imprisonment of not more than 5 years to class D felony.

See Sec. 14-193(b) re powers of commissioner under Uniform Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title and Antitheft Act.

See chapter 952, part IX re penalties for larceny, robbery and related offenses.

Cited. 7 CA 532; 9 CA 686.

Cited. 40 CS 226.

Subsec. (a):

When applied by the court as having the clear meaning that it is unlawful knowingly to possess a vehicle with one or more altered vehicle identification numbers, Subsec. is not unconstitutionally vague; the operational language addresses motor vehicles, not vehicle identification numbers, and defendant's convictions on multiple counts arising out of a single vehicle, but multiple altered vehicle identification numbers, violated defendant's right against multiple punishments for the same offense. 113 CA 541.