WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1992
VEHICLE THIEVES TO FACE HEAVIER PENALTY
DETER
A BILL SEEKING TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PENALTY ΤΟ OFFENDERS FROM STEALING VEHICLES WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THE OFFENCE OF TAKING A CONVEYANCE WITHOUT AUTHORITY IS PROPOSED TO GO UP FROM THREE YEARS' TO SEVEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT.
1992,
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE THEFT (AMENDMENT) BILL THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID: "THIS PROPOSAL REFLECTS THE WISH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT STEPS MUST BE TAKEN ΤΟ REDUCE THE PROBLEM OF STOLEN AND MISSING VEHICLES.
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ПЕ SAID THE GOVERNMENT ANTICIPATED THAT SOME 7,000 VEHICLES WOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED MISSING DURING THIS YEAR, OF WHICH SOME 4,000 WOULD HAVE BEEN RECOVERED,
THIS REPRESENTS A 10 PER CENT INCREASE ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES MISSING, AND A 10 PER CENT DROP
IN THE RECOVERY RATE.
MB ASPREY EXPLAINED THAT IN MOST CASES, THE POLICE HAD TO REPLY ON THE OFFENCE OF TAKING A CONVEYANCE WITHOUT AUTHORITY ΤΟ CHARGE THOSE WHO TOOK AWAY VEHICLES,
BUT THE PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE COURTS FOR THE OFFENCE HAVE BEEN LOW, HE SAID.
IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS, OUT OF SOME 300 PERSONS CONVICTED OF THE OFFENCE, 34 WERE SENTENCED TO PERIODS OF IMPRISONMENT, NONE EXCEEDING
18 MONTHS.
$4,000.
A FURTHER 131 WERE FINED, THR HIGHEST FINE IMPOSED BEING
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'AND THERE HAS BERN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH THE OFFENCE WHO HAVE EITHER JUMPED BAIL REPEATED THE SAME OFFENCE A SECOND TIME WHILST ON BAIL, HE SAID.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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