Moldova

  1. Under what circumstances can a stolen vehicle be seized in your country?
  • In the Republic of Moldova, a vehicle can be seized if:

According to our Civil Procedure Code, the request for the seizure of the vehicle can be applied to the Court by the Prosecutor ex officio or at the request of the injured party (legal owner). The Court by resolution can approve the seizure of the vehicle.
it is listed as “wanted” in Moldova or abroad, in connection with criminal proceedings, but only for the period of checks conducted by our competent authorities;
the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) written in the vehicle’s documents do not correspond to the number of the vehicle, but only for the period of checks conducted by our competent authorities;
Interpol has requested a search for the vehicle, but only for the period of checks conducted by our competent authorities;

  1. What channels are used to notify the owner of the vehicle’s location (Interpol or other)?
  • The owner may be notified of the location of his vehicle:through Interpol
  1. Who is responsible for the storage of seized vehicles?
  • the vehicle is parked at our ministry’s garage under the receipt of the officer who is responsible for the safe keeping of the vehicle.
  1. Are there any costs associated with storage of a seized stolen vehicle and who is responsible for these costs?
  • the legal owner doesn’t pay money for the storage of the vehicle.
  1. How does a stolen vehicle get restored to its legal owner?
  • in case if the vehicle is not registered on the territory of Republic of Moldova the vehicle is transmitted to the legal owner by our competent authorities after issuing an assignment.
  • in case if the stolen vehicle is registered on the territory of Republic of Moldova it can be returned to its owner on the basis of a court decision.

Do the police have authority to restore the vehicle?

  • only in case if the vehicle is not registered on the territory of Republic of Moldova
    Is it the local court who authorises release of the vehicle?
  • yes, if the parts have no other claims.
    Is it necessary to have a “commission rogatoire” to recover the vehicle?
  • yes
    What documentation does the owner have to provide in order to recover the vehicle?
    the document from the police that would confirm that the vehicle is wanted and the decision about the vehicle recognition as material evidence on the criminal case (number of the criminal case, when and whom it was initiated by);
    certificate, the power of attorney, the contract of sale and purchase, and others). In absence of these documents, the legal owner must provide notarized declaration, which would confirm that the vehicle was registered in your country, would indicate the registration number, the last owner that pretends to the vehicle, the fact of the theft, date and place of theft (enclosing identifying evidence issued by the law authorities).
    Authorization with signature and official stamp, in case that the legal owner is juridical person or insurance company.
  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.)?
  • There is no time-limit for the recovery of vehicles: a stolen vehicle will never become police property as this is prohibited by law. A vehicle could become the property of the State if its owner has died and no relatives or theirs have applied to the investigating body (in our case the magistracy) within a year.
  1. Please give details of relevant legislation
  • See Point (6) above,
  1. If the law in your country precludes the restitution of a stolen vehicle to its original owner, please give the reasons why
  • A purchaser who has acquired a vehicle without knowing that it had been stolen has no right to keep it if an international search for that vehicle has been requested. Under our present laws, in such circumstances, the vehicle concerned would be returned to its legal 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
  • Moldova has not signed any international conventions or agreements on this subject.
  1. Reference point, for assistance in case of difficulties
  • The officer in charge of such cases is senior lieutenant Alexei PLESCA, Inspector at the NCB Interpol

telephone: No.(373)22 25 55 89

fax: No.(373)22 54 62 35.

Last update: February 2008