4505.17 Reports and records of motor vehicle thefts. - Ohio Statutes

4505.17 Reports and records of motor vehicle thefts.

(A) Every sheriff, chief of police, constable, state highway patrol trooper, employee of the state highway patrol, and designated officer of the department of public safety, having knowledge of a stolen motor vehicle, immediately shall furnish the registrar of motor vehicles with full information concerning such theft.

Whenever the registrar receives a report of the theft or conversion of a motor vehicle, whether the same has been registered or not and whether owned in this or any other state, the registrar shall make a distinctive record thereof, including the make of the stolen vehicle and its manufacturer’s vehicle identification number. The registrar shall prepare a report listing motor vehicles stolen and recovered as disclosed by the reports submitted to the registrar, to be distributed as the registrar determines advisable.

In the event of the receipt from any clerk of the court of common pleas of a copy of a certificate of title to such a motor vehicle, the registrar immediately shall notify the rightful owner thereof and the clerk who issued such certificate of title, and if, upon investigation, it appears that such certificate of title was improperly issued, the registrar immediately shall cancel the certificate.

In the event of the recovery of a stolen or converted motor vehicle, the owner immediately shall notify the registrar, who shall remove the record of the theft or conversion from the registrar’s file.

(B) Whoever violates this section shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars, imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004