Romania

  1. Under what circumstances can a stolen vehicle be seized in your country?
  • Legislation in force in Romania provides that a vehicle sought nationally or internationally may be seized in order to obtain evidence, clarify the circumstances of the theft and identify the thieves.
  1. What channels are used to notify the owner of the vehicle’s location (Interpol or other)?
  • We use Interpol channels to inform the owner.
  1. Who is responsible for the storage of seized vehicles?
  • Seized vehicles are generally stored at the police station responsible for identifying the vehicle and carrying out the investigation.
  1. Are there any costs associated with storage of a seized stolen vehicle and who is responsible for these costs?
  • There is no charge for storing stolen vehicles, unless they have been taken to a garage, which might require the payment of taxes.
  1. How does a stolen vehicle get restored to its legal owner?
    a) Do the police have authority to restore the vehicle?

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b) Is it the local court who authorises release of the vehicle?

  • Yes, the Police have authority to restore stolen vehicles after they have received authorization from the court responsible for the case.

c) Is it necessary to have a “commission rogatoire” to recover the vehicle?

  • It is not necessary to have a commission rogatoire to recover a vehicle.

d) What documentation does the owner have to provide in order to recover the vehicle?

  • The owner must provide the certificate of ownership, the original key, an official copy of the police theft report, and the original registration plates (if the vehicle was seized with other plates).
  1. Are there any time limits associated with recovery of the vehicle? (i.e. after a certain period of time the vehicle becomes the property of the state or police, etc.)?
  • One year after the owner has been informed that he can come to recover the vehicle.

7. Please give details of relevant legislation

  1. If the law in your country precludes the restitution of a stolen vehicle to its original owner, please give the reasons why
  • Romanian law does not preclude the restitution of a stolen vehicle to its owner
  1. Does your country have any bilateral treaties, conventions, or agreements with other countries dealing with the recovery of stolen property? If so, please describe how they operate and give details of the countries concerned
  • Romania has not yet concluded any treaties dealing with the recovery of stolen property, but bilateral agreements are being prepared (see the Resolution and Recommendations ECOSOC/1997).
  1. Reference point, for assistance in case of difficulties
  • In case of difficulties, the department responsible for returning stolen vehicles is the General Inspectorate of Police, Police Directorate, 13-15 Soseaua Stefan Cel Mare Street, 2nd sector, Bucharest, or the Romanian NCB.

Last update: February 2007