§ 14-149a — Ownership or operation of a chop shop. Penalty.

(a) As used in this section: (1) “Chop shop” means any area, building, storage lot, field or any other premises or place, except an impoundment or storage area authorized by and under the control or direction of a state or municipal law enforcement agency, (A) where one or more persons are engaged or have engaged in altering, dismantling, reassembling or in any way concealing or disguising the identity of a stolen motor vehicle or of any major component part of a stolen motor vehicle, (B) where there are three or more stolen motor vehicles present, or (C) where there are major component parts from three or more stolen motor vehicles present. (2) “Major component part” means one of the following parts of a motor vehicle: (A) The engine, (B) the transmission, (C) the right or left front fender, (D) the hood, (E) a door allowing entrance to or egress from the passenger compartment of the vehicle, (F) the front or rear bumper, (G) the right or left rear quarter panel, (H) the deck lid, tailgate or hatchback, (I) the trunk floor pan, (J) the cargo box of a pickup, (K) the frame, or if the vehicle has a unitized body, the supporting structure or structures which serve as the frame, (L) the cab of a truck, (M) the body of a passenger vehicle, or (N) any other part of a motor vehicle which the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles determines is comparable in design or function to any of the parts listed in subparagraphs (A) to (M), inclusive, of this subdivision. (3) “Motor vehicle” means motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1 , but shall include construction equipment, agricultural tractors and farm implements. (b) Any person who knowingly owns, operates or conducts a chop shop or who knowingly aids and abets another person in owning, operating or conducting a chop shop shall, for a first offense, be guilty of a class D felony and, for a second or subsequent offense, be guilty of a class D felony, except that such person shall be fined not less than ten thousand dollars. (c) Upon conviction of any person for a violation of this section, the court may, in addition to, but not in lieu of, imposing a fine or a term of imprisonment, order such person to make restitution to the rightful owner of a stolen motor vehicle or of a stolen major component part, or to the owner's insurer if the owner has already been compensated for the loss by the insurer, for any financial loss sustained as a result of the theft of such motor vehicle or major component part.

Legislative History

(P.A. 93-405, S. 1; P.A. 00-103, S. 5; P.A. 13-258, S. 59.) History: P.A. 00-103 redefined “motor vehicle” in Subsec. (a)(3) to include construction equipment, agricultural tractors and farm equipment; P.A. 13-258 amended Subsec. (b) to change penalty for first offense from a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment of not more than 5 years to a class D felony, and to change imprisonment provision for second or subsequent offense from imprisonment of not more than 5 years to a class D felony.