Legislative Changes Proposed for Car License Plate Theft

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the theft of car license plates, followed by demands for ransom from vehicle owners in exchange for the return of the stolen plates, either with or without such demands.

The Prosecutor's Office of Armenia reports that an investigation revealed that between January and February of 2020 and 2021, 306 cases of car license plate theft were recorded solely in the city of Yerevan.

Out of these recorded cases, decisions were made not to initiate criminal proceedings in 261 instances. Among these, 235 were due to the absence of criminal composition, 17 due to the lack of an offense, 9 due to the absence of a complaint from the applicant, and in 3 cases, the preparation of materials was pending at the time.

Of the recorded 306 cases, criminal cases were only initiated in 42 instances, particularly in cases where a ransom was demanded for the return of the stolen plates. Specifically, 41 cases were initiated under the first part of Article 182 of the RA Criminal Code, and 1 case under point 3.1 of the second part of Article 182 of the RA Criminal Code.

These ongoing incidents not only cause damage to license plate owners but also create favorable conditions for using these plates in the commission of other, more dangerous crimes.

In response, the Prosecutor General's Office has proposed an amendment to the RA Criminal Code to include car license plates among the objects of crimes specified in Article 324, and to establish criminal liability for their theft within the framework of this article.

Considering that cases of extortion regarding vehicle registration plates are not uncommon, it is also proposed to include extortion as one of the manifestations of the objective side of the offense outlined in Article 324 of the RA Criminal Code.

Furthermore, given that crimes against license plates sometimes result in substantial damage to their owners, reaching up to 8 million AMD, and not excluding the possibility of similar harm to victims from offenses against other objects specified in Article 324, the Prosecutor's Office has suggested that committing these actions, which cause substantial or particularly substantial damage, be considered an aggravating circumstance under this article.

If the proposed legislative amendment is adopted, it is expected that criminal liability will be established for the theft and extortion of car license plates within the framework of Article 324 of the RA Criminal Code. Consequently, the fight against these crimes will become more targeted, ensuring legal certainty and a more effective implementation of the state's criminal policy in the realm of crimes against the order of governance.