Former Cleaner won’t return key

theonlywayisup

molerat wrote: »

So if I go and hire a car tomorrow I don't need to give it back as no one is coming after me ? After all, the company gave it to me to use.

What is your question?

Is it theft? No.

Is it a criminal offence? Possibly. Is it a civil dispute, more than likely. Depends on your intention at time of hire...

Shaun_of_the_Dead

theonlywayisup wrote: »

What is your question?

Is it theft? No.

Is it a criminal offence? Possibly. Is it a civil dispute, more than likely. Depends on your intention at time of hire...

The offence would be theft.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/definition-of-theft

powerful_Rogue

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

The offence would be theft.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/definition-of-theft

Would more then likely be TWOC then theft.

Shaun_of_the_Dead

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

Would more then likely be TWOC then theft.

Not if he intended to keep it.

powerful_Rogue

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

Not if he intended to keep it.

And that's the very reason TWOC came in, to tackle people that said they intended to return the vehicle. Thus police are more then likely to go for TWOC over theft as it closes that loop hole.

Shaun_of_the_Dead

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

And that's the very reason TWOC came in, to tackle people that said they intended to return the vehicle. Thus police are more then likely to go for TWOC over theft as it closes that loop hole.

If they can prove the intent to permanently deprive and dishonesty they would charge with theft.

powerful_Rogue

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

If they can prove the intent to permanently deprive and dishonesty they would charge with theft.

Which can be a difficult thing to prove, espeically with a hire car.

Shaun_of_the_Dead

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

Which can be a difficult thing to prove, espeically with a hire car.

So you accept they'd charge with theft.

powerful_Rogue

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

So you accept they'd charge with theft.

You lost me with that one. I was saying especially with a hire car it could be difficult to prove the intent to permanently deprive, thus TWOC.

CakeCrusader

Just change the locks and send her the bill. There's really no need to involve the Police, they don't make charging decisions anyway, it's the CPS and this is likely to be a waste of their time.