Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-18
HANDY WARNS AGAINST
UNTITLED AUTOMOBILES
State Motor Director Explains
the New Law Against Car
Theft.
Special Correspondence Every Evening

Special Correspondence Every Evening
Dover, March fs--Automobile Di-
rector Wallace S. Handy has issued
tho following statement relative 10
the Motor Vehicle Identification act"
as passed by the Delaware Legislature
last year and It's effectiveness against
stolen cars
Tho Motor Vehicle Identification
act" popularity known as the "rltling
Law for Auiomobilcs,' is causing all
sorts OF trouble for the stolen car
fraternity.
"This law requires that all car own
crs. before they can operate or cell
"A car In the State OF Delaware, must
secure from the secretary OF State a
certificate OF title, on which appears
the name and address OF the owner
OF the car and concise description OF
the car, including the engine number.
This certificate is assigned To the
purchaser when tho car fsNSsold and
the purchaser must then go 20 the
secretary OF State. surrender the Ger
tifcatc which was assigned TO him
and secure new certificate In his,
(the purchaser's) name. Some OF the
stolen car dealers have been attempt
ling TO evada the law by securing a
certificate covering an honest car and
using this certificate 10 sell a stolen
car OF another engine number. They
| have found. however. that the public
has become wise and the purchaser
how insists upon examining the engine
10 discover II the number actually APP
pearing upon the engine IL Identical
with the number upon the certificate
which the stolen car dealer offers "a
nsnlgn him. Whore II fails 20 CORE
spond. the public is refusing 60 buy.
Several stolen cars have been reCov
cred as the result OF the activities Oi
the automobile inspectors throughout
the state and many cases are nov
being Investigated. The authorities oi
the states Of Pennsylvania, Maryland
and New Jersey are cooperating IL
this work and good results are beins
obtained
HIf all purchasers OF used cars vii
insist that the certificate % title givet
them by the seller Of secord hand CAR
Is In proper shape u VIII be very hare
20 dispose Of stolen cars within th'
state. Tho purchaser should reaii1'
that II he buys a stolen car u VIII b'
taken from him II discovered and Tn
fact that he has been able TO secure
lcertfficate Of title by false stRtemen
will not protect him ia the leee,
When buying used car always checl
the engine number and u - fails e
correspond with the number on ~.
certificate - title or II tho number o.
the engine appears 10 have been mu
tillated or altered. refuse 10 buy tn
car. and notify the Office of tho secre
tary of state 81 tho facts.
"a number Of stolen cars have bee
brought into tho state and traded &
owners of cars Of similar make an
) style. which have been properly Titled
The holder Of the title then has mad
} Application 20 the Office 81 the secre
ltary Of state. stating that an erro
! was made in the original titllnR OF hi
car and requesting tht the alleged er
ror be corrected. hut hs IL finding 4
such cases that g IS almost impossibl
, TO make a statement that holds waite
, under an Investigation. with tho re
: suit that they md themselves involv
3 ed IN all sorts OF trouble.
4 Inc SaIf anu only safe it1ilAe 10 &c
= the fellow who offers to sell you An VI
2 titled car is that you will deal wit
{ him IL he will first secure a certifca'
= of title. To buy or sell without a cei
o tiflcate passing is a crime punisEab
o ~ fine or Imprisonment or both.
g There IS another angle Of the titlir
A act which the general public shou
A understand. When buying a used ci
g and receiving a certificate OF tit
: properly assigned before notary, q
o purchaser should apply immediate
q for a new certificate in his name.
. he fails TO do this the car will col
= tinue to stand in the name OF the OF
n from whom the car was bought, thu
leaving an opportunity for fraudulei
:, dealing which may involve the pu
q chaser in all sorts of complications.
:, "A number OF notaries have allow
q holders Of certificates TO assign ce
tificates in blank. This is unlawf
- and the attorney general will be as
), ed to proceed against any notary WI
q is guilty of this sort of thing in d
: future.
!. THE law is working well and wi
o. the cooperation Of the public it W
Is be impossible for the crooked dealer
n, do business in this State"
~ JEWEL THIEF ESCAPES SLEUT