RA parliament reviews stricter penalty for car part theft

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Assembly is reviewing a bill that would increase the penalties for stealing components from vehicles. The draft law was presented at the May 27 session by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Mkrtchyan.

The proposal classifies the theft of vehicle parts, devices, or equipment as a second-degree offense under theft laws—redefining it from a "minor" to a "medium-gravity" crime. If adopted, offenders would face significantly tougher penalties, according to 1lurer.am .

Mkrtchyan explained that recent analyses show this crime is not only widespread but also steadily increasing. Its severity no longer fits the legal definition of a low-gravity offense.

National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan asked how often headlight thieves are caught. "For example, if you own a Porsche Cayenne, no insurance company will cover your headlights—90 percent of the time, wherever you park, they’ll be stolen," he remarked.

Mkrtchyan responded that perpetrators are identified in about 30 percent of cases, but repeat offenders are a major concern. "We often see individuals committing the same crime multiple times. They’re caught and arrested, but because the current legal framework doesn’t link the offense to incarceration, they’re released and continue stealing. This is clearly a serious issue."

He added that under the proposed changes, investigators would have the legal grounds to request detention as a preventive measure.