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1.  

   This happens often without the internet...

   

   Dmitry, Dec 12th, 2003 @ 6:49am

   
   

   My father was arrested once by the NYPD for being in posession of a stolen vehicle.
   
   By the time he had the car, it had gone through 3 owners before it got to him. It had a registration from the DMV and everything.
   
   He was released and cleared AFTER spending almost a day in the city jail. Not a fun experience for someone who has never been in such truoble in the past.
   
   So yes this does happen. Its really silly in my opinion even for the police to arrest people once a car has passed through multiple hands.

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2.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   MissinLnk, Dec 12th, 2003 @ 11:16am

   
   

   Well, did the police know this history when they arrested your father?

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3.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   Doug, Dec 12th, 2003 @ 1:43pm

   
   

   It had a registration from the DMV and everything.

   A registration is not proof of ownership. It is approval for the vehicle to be operated on public roads. It shows who is responsible for the vehicle, but not who owns it. For example, a leased vehicle typically is owned by the lessor but registered to the lessee.

   The certificate of title is the proof of ownership.

   Prior to 1973, some states, including New York, were "non-title" states. They did not issue certificates of title at all, and proof of legal ownership was the owner's responsibility. You had to keep all of the bills of sale back to whenever the car was sold by someone with a title, or all the way back to the factory.

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4.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   Anonymous Coward, Dec 14th, 2003 @ 6:18pm

   
   

   What's more bizarre is that your father, and the putative owner of the car in the story, were both able to register their cars. Hello? Can you say VIN, vehicle identification number? They should throw a few bureaucrats in jail for a day.
   
   

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5.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   Anonymous Coward, Dec 15th, 2003 @ 8:54am

   
   

   It might be interesting to trace the car back two or three hands and find the guy who stole it in the first place. But then again, after 20 years, he could be dead, or unfindable.

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6.  

   Strict liability offense

   

   Rick Colosimo, Dec 15th, 2003 @ 10:05am

   
   

   For those of your more interested in the legal structure, most states have different degrees of the crime of possession of stolen property. The lesser degrees may not require "mens rea", the intent to possess the stolen item. Why, you ask, would such a crime exist? Easy - proof problems. If you're a pawnbroker (i.e., fence) and you have this stuff in your shop, it may be impossible for the police to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you knew the property was stolen. However, with a lesser offense, you can be punished (the sentence will be lesser, as well) and hopefully deterred from continuing this sort of activity.
   
   I don't know that the property having gone through a few hands has any bearing on whether a person knew it was stolen. Maybe the price was too good, or you were dealing with someone of bad character. Anyhow, just tack that on to the strict liability offense, and you see why the police would be perfectly rational in making an arrest.

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7.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   sodder, Jan 26th, 2004 @ 4:55pm

   
   

   I get real time reports on stolen cars in my area sent to my cell phone and email. If you want to check out a car before buying it use www.carfax.com and www.stolencarreports.com

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8.  

   Re: This happens often without the internet...

   

   Hemi, Feb 10th, 2004 @ 1:27pm

   
   

   Etch you VIN on your car's window to make it less attractive to car thieves.
   
   www.auto-theft.info has more on this

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9.  

   car stolen by someone I know and I can't get it ba

   

   Nancy Boal, Oct 17th, 2007 @ 6:03pm

   
   

   I am in a quandry as to how to get my vehicle back! My vehicle was stolen, and I know who has it. However the Police would not help me get my vehicle because it was on her private property. I have been told that this is a criminal offense, however I have to take her to Civil court ? That only a state attorney can file a criminal complaint. This person also tried to title the car in her name with our sucess. To hire an attorney for this, it could cost more than the vehicle is worth. Any help out there??

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10.  

    Re: Re: This happens often without the internet...

    

    Ken Petry, Feb 19th, 2008 @ 12:12pm

    
    

    Are there any states that don't have auto titles?

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