MINISTER OF JUSTICE INTRODUCES NEW OFFENCE TO TARGET ORGANIZED MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

OTTAWA, September 28, 2005– The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today introduced proposed amendments to the Criminal Code which target organized motor vehicle theft by making it an offence to tamper with a vehicle identification number (VIN).

"The Government of Canada is putting forward additional measures to help combat organized crime by making it a criminal offence to alter, obliterate or remove a vehicle's identification number, " said Minister Cotler. "This VIN-tampering bill is aimed at combating the elaborate criminal cycle of theft, disguise and resale."

"Today's proposed amendments also respond to the call of the late Chuck Cadman, Member of Parliament, to take further action to keep our streets safe and protect victims of car theft," said Minister Cotler. "In 2004 alone there were nearly 170,000 motor vehicle thefts in Canada , with a significant impact on car owners, third party victims, law enforcement, and the insurance industry."

Currently, under the Criminal Code, those who engage in VIN tampering in order to conceal the identity of a stolen vehicle are often charged with the criminal offence of possession of property obtained by crime, as there is no specific offence in the Criminal Code directly aimed at VIN tampering.

"A conviction under this proposed amendment would more clearly and accurately describe a person's involvement in an organized vehicle theft ring as opposed to those people who are convicted of possessing property obtained by crime," the Minister added.

Today's proposed amendment would:

• make it an offence to wholly or partially alter, obliterate or remove a vehicle identification number on a motor vehicle without lawful excuse and under circumstances that give rise to a reasonable inference that this was done to conceal the identity of the motor vehicle .

Anyone convicted of this offence on indictment would be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

The Crown may also choose to proceed by way of summary conviction with a maximum fine of $2,000, imprisonment for six months, or both.

On January 25, 2005 at the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Justice meeting, all Ministers agreed to study the matter of Criminal Code amendments affecting the theft of motor vehicles, as well as penalties for those who steal vehicles and drive recklessly . The Department of Justice continues to work collaboratively with its provincial partners on this study.

- 30 -

Ref.:

Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
(613) 992-4621

Media Relations Office
Department of Justice Canada
(613) 957-4207