55-5-102. Theft or embezzlement and recovery of registered vehicle — Notice required — Penalty. —







(a) The owner, lienholder or insurer of the owner of a registered vehicle that has been stolen or embezzled shall notify the Tennessee highway patrol or the local sheriff's office or police department of the theft or embezzlement, but in the event of an embezzlement, the person shall make the report only after having procured the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the person charged with the embezzlement.





(b) Every owner or other person who has given any notice under subsection (a) must notify the Tennessee highway patrol or the local sheriff's office or police department of a recovery of the vehicle.





(c) In the event the owner is notified by any law enforcement officer or by a garage or wrecker operator of the recovery of the stolen vehicle, it is the duty of the owner to immediately notify the owner's theft insurer of the vehicle's recovery and its location.





(d) Any person, firm or corporation violating this section commits a Class C misdemeanor.





[Acts 1951, ch. 70, § 71 (Williams, § 5538.171); Acts 1972, ch. 725, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-502; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]