1360
Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Statutes --
Investigative
Jurisdiction
|
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the
United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has investigative
jurisdiction
over the civil penalty provisions in 49 U.S.C §§ 33114 and 33115
relating
to a manufacturer's or importer's failure to comply with passenger
automobile
theft prevention (parts marking) standards required under 49 U.S.C. §
Chapter
331 and implementing regulations. NHTSA also has investigative jurisdiction
over
civil penalties, under 49 U.S.C. § 33115, applicable to owning and
operating
a "chop shop."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has investigative jurisdiction
over
criminal offenses relating to altering or removing motor vehicle
identification
numbers (18 U.S.C. § 511), unauthorized application of theft prevention
decals (18 U.S.C. § 511A), trafficking in motor vehicles and parts
knowing
that identification numbers have been removed (18 U.S.C. § 2321), and
operating a chop shop (18 U.S.C. § 2322).
The United States Customs Service has investigative jurisdiction
over
the importation or exportation of stolen motor vehicles (18 U.S.C. §
553),
as well as the civil penalty provisions in 19 U.S.C. § 1627a relating
to
importing or exporting stolen motor vehicles. The Customs Service also
assists
the NHTSA in the enforcement of the regulatory provisions applicable to
importers
of foreign manufactured vehicles.
[cited in USAM 9-61.700] | |