If your the registered owner?????

[spoiledgalp]

What is the name of your state? California
If your the registered owner of your vehicle can you be arrested for car theft?? Let me kinda feel you in on the situation, My gramma payed the car off so now payments are made to gramma, my sis is in process of moving,was told by our gramps if she trys to leave with the vehicle he will call police.This is her only way of transportation 3 kids still had all the intentions of continueing her payments to our gramma, My sis was going to give her $2300.00 before she left which is about 4-5 month payments in advanvce.Our gramps told our gramma if she accepted the money he would leave her. You see our gramma is going to be leaving us soon she is in like the final stages of ovarian cancer and our gramps said this to her, but what are my sister's rights in this matter? Our gramps said he'll call and report the vehicle stolen if she took it.Can he do that even though she is the registered owner,her name is the one that is on the registration? Can someone please let us know what we should do??? What we can do??

[fairisfair]

what are the terms of prepayment? Is there a contract? Is sis behind on the payments? etc. etc. etc.

[CdwJava]

Theft is a crime against possession and not ownership. However, if she has been driving the car, is the registered owner, and there is no transfer of title or liability to anyone else, then I cannot see that she would be arrested for auto theft. If she had signed the car over to her grandparents, then she might be subject to arrest. If the issue is entirely about money this is a civil issue and not a criminal one. Gramps cannot lawfully withhold her property in lieu of a debt absent a contract to that effect.

She could always call the local police department and ask them to come standby with her when she retrieves the car.

- Carl