Larceny of Cars by Hire-Purchase Bailees
| DOI | 10.1177/002201834000400213 |
| Published date | 01 April 1940 |
| Date | 01 April 1940 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Larceny
of
Cars
by Hire-purchase
Bailees
SINCE
the Roads Act,
1920,
was passed, and since Regula-
tions under that Act provided for the issue of Registra-
tion Books in respect of motor-cars, it has been evident to
those who have anything to do with the sale and purchase of
motor-cars that those Regulations are deficient.
The
deficiency
has become very evident during recent months when, by
reason of the outbreak of the war with its resultant financial
difficulties for many, there has been an increase in the number
of cases of wrongful disposal of motor-cars subject to hire-
purchase agreements. Naturally enough, when aman's
income has been severely curtailed he begins to regret
that
he acquired his car by hire-purchase. He begins to wonder
what will happen if he cannot pay the instalments. Can the
hire-purchase firm come and retake possession of
the
car
if his inability to pay is due to the
war?
If
not, will anybody
know if he sells
the
car and continues to pay as
much
as he
can in instalments ?
At this point the unfortunate hire-purchaser is approach-
ing the precincts of criminal
law-in
many cases, no doubt,
quite unconscious that he is contemplating the commission
of a serious crime. He is " called up " or he loses his employ-
ment and
voluntarily"
joins
up".
What's to be done with
the old car for which he has been paying for the past two
years or
so?
Still
£20
to pay in instalments. Why
not
sell
it and let the hire-purchase people whistle for their
£20
?
This
may well be a normal hirer's
train
of
thought;
but
if he carries it into action he is probably committing
two offences, namely, larceny by a bailee and obtaining money
by false pretences.
To continue reading
Request your trial