Car theft

Car theft is a specific category of robbery. The legislator attaches significant importance to this type of theft, which is reflected in the severeness of the sentences if convicted of this crime.

Please take note that defences are available to challenge the charges, or that it is possible to reduce the sentence when negotiating if you wish to plead guilty.

Section 333.1 of the Criminal Code: Motor vehicle theft

333.1 (1) Everyone who commits theft is, if the property stolen is a motor vehicle, guilty of an offence and liable

(a) on proceedings by way of indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years, and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of six months in the case of a third or subsequent offence under this subsection; or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day.

Subsequent offences

(2) For the purpose of determining whether a convicted person has committed a third or subsequent offence, an offence for which the person was previously convicted is considered to be an earlier offence whether it was prosecuted by indictment or by way of summary conviction proceedings.