Recovering Stolen Cars

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 692, 18 June 1929, Page 6

Recovering Stolen Cars

Dom in ion- Wide Service Organised by M.T.A.

The theft of cars in New Zealand is a growing evil, and although in many cases the thief is caught and punished, the evil continues to grow. The punishment meted out to offenders often appears too lenient, and even if the maximum penalty is inflicted, it is, in the opinion of the motor traders, inadequate to meet the seriousness of the position. If the theft of cars continues to increase in spite of detection and punishment, it surely stands to reason that the punishment is not severe enough to act as a deterrent to others, and it is time the law provided heavier penalties. Another evil that runs hand in hand with the theft of cars is the loss of cars sold under hire purchase agreement. This is not a criminal offence, and the worst that usually happens to an offender is the seizure of the motor vehicle and the loss of any payments which have been made on it. To provide protection for motor traders and motorists generally, the Motor Trade Association of New Zealand has established a service which has proved most effective in recovering cars, either stolen or missing under hire purchase agreement. Upon notification or loss the M.T.A. issues a printed card containing particulars of missing car to all garages, petrol and service stations, and it is seldom that this method fails to locate, the missing vehicle. Here are two typical instances. On

May 14th, notice was received of a Studebaker car stolen from Wanganui. A notice was at once issued and on the day following a telegram was received at the association’s office from a Hamilton garage proprietor that the car had been recovered there and the driver and passenger arrested. On May 22 a notice was issued refeerring to a Dodge Bros, touring car missing under hire-purchase agreement from Auckland. Ten days later a Thames garage proprietor notified the office that this particular car was in his garage.