Sec. 14-145. Towing or removal of motor vehicle from private property.
Sec. 14-145. Towing or removal of motor vehicle from private property. (a)
An owner or lessee of private property, or his agent, may remove or cause to be removed
any motor vehicle left without authorization on such property in accordance with the
provisions of this section and sections 14-145a to 14-145c, inclusive. This section shall
not apply to law enforcement, fire-fighting, rescue, ambulance or emergency vehicles
which are marked as such, or to the removal of motor vehicles from property leased by
any governmental agency.
(b) When such motor vehicle is towed or otherwise removed by a wrecker licensed
under section 14-66, the licensee or operator of the wrecker shall notify the local police
department of the tow or removal within two hours. No such licensee or operator may
charge a storage fee for such motor vehicle for the time it is stored prior to such notification. If the motor vehicle is not claimed by its owner within the time periods specified
in subsection (e) of section 14-150, the licensee or operator of the wrecker or of the
garage where such motor vehicle is stored may dispose of it in accordance with the
provisions of subsection (e) of section 14-150.
(c) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, for a first offense,
be deemed to have committed an infraction and be fined not less than thirty-five dollars
nor more than fifty dollars, and, for each subsequent offense, shall be fined not less than
fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days
or be both fined and imprisoned.
(1949 Rev., S. 2469; February, 1965, P.A. 448, S. 15; 1969, P.A. 131; 417; P.A. 73-429, S. 1; P.A. 81-351, S. 1; P.A.
82-223, S. 13; P.A. 83-577, S. 19; P.A. 91-408, S. 1; P.A. 02-70, S. 68.)
History: 1965 act added provisions re damage of vehicle or parts and removal of parts; 1969 acts added provision
forbidding tampering with odometer and added exception to allow property owner or agent to remove vehicle left on
property without authorization; P.A. 73-429 deleted provision re tampering with odometer; P.A. 81-351 removed and
transferred the tampering provisions from the section, divided the section into subsections and established requirements
for towing or removing a motor vehicle from private property; P.A. 82-223 amended Subsec. (c) by specifying that the
commission of a first offense constituted an infraction and increasing the minimum fine therefor from $10 to $25; P.A.
83-577 amended Subsec. (c) by increasing the minimum fine for a first offense from $25 to $35; P.A. 91-408 amended
Subsec. (a) by replacing "A property owner" with "An owner or lessee of private property", authorizing such owner or
lessee to "cause to be removed" a motor vehicle, providing that removal shall be in accordance with "this section and
sections 14-145a to 14-145c, inclusive", rather than in accordance with "subsection (b) of this section" and adding exception
for certain designated police, fire and emergency vehicles and for removal of vehicles from property leased by a governmental agency; P.A. 02-70 amended Subsec. (b) to require the licensee or operator of the wrecker to notify the local police
department of the tow of the vehicle left on private property within 2 hours, instead of 24 hours, effective June 3, 2002.
See Sec. 53a-119b(c) for provisions re tampering with a motor vehicle.
This section does not require proof of criminal intent, but only the intent to do a prohibited act. 165 C. 10. Cited. Id., 559.
Cited. 32 CS 621. Cited. 41 CS 484.
Defendant cannot attack his conviction after he has voluntarily paid the fine imposed upon him. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 93,
95. It must be proved that the setting back of the odometer took place after the effective date of the act. Id., 402.