The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1930. MOTOR CAR THEFTS.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2423, 4 December 1930, Page 4

The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1930. MOTOR CAR THEFTS.

One of the numerous commendable spheres of activity of the Auckland Automobile Association is an endeavour to reduce the ever-growing number of offences which are listed in 'our courts of justice as “fraudulently and without colour of right taking or converting to the use of any person” motor vehicles; or, to put it in plain English, theft of such vehicles. This class of crime is growing apace. Not only are these offences exasperating, but, in many cases, they cause exceedingly heavy loss and inconvenience to the car owners concerned. We are heartily iii accord with the A.A.A. in their contention that the only effective method' of coping with this evil lies in the imposition of more severe • penalties for offences. The punishment should fit the crime. There have been several amendments to the laws of the country dealing with this class of crime, but there is ample room for the provision cf some more drastic punishment. The trouble appears to be that, with the law as it stands at present, there arc too many loopholes for escape from reasonable punishment, and too frequently the penalty is altogether inadequate. Under the Justices of the Peace Act every person who steals a dog is liable to six months’ imprisonment, and for a subsequent offence to eighteen months! Under the Crimes Act the punishment for theft of a horse or sheep is not to exceed fourteen years imprisonment; yet, according to the statutes at present in operation, the utmost penalty that can be imposed for illegally converting a motor vehicle to one’s use is a fine of not exceeding £2O, or three months’ imprisonment. Why this absurd anomaly? If those who stole motor cars were liable to the same penalty as the horse or dog thief, wc venture to say that the number of cars illegally taken would speedily 'diminish. Wc grant it that many people are so careless with their cars, leaving them for long periods unattended, cf ten with the switch-key not withdrawn, that, there’ is much temptation to those who are not very scrupulous in such matters, but hundreds of motorists who use every reasonable care suffer as well as the careless people, and it is hign time that the laws of the country were amended to give greater protection to motorists. The A.A-A. has a very good case to make out in its appeal in this connection, and will have the support of practically every motorist in the country.