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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Bill Thomas |
State Rep. Mark Longietti |
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Longietti gains support on bill to crack down on ‘chop shop’ loophole
Pa. House Judiciary Committtee endorses measure to reduce insurance fraud
HARRISBURG, June 20 – State Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, announced that his legislation to close a loophole in Pennsylvania law regarding “chop shops” was unanimously approved by members of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Longietti said his bill (H.B. 1147) would strengthen the definition of a “chop shop” to prevent insurance scam artists from using the vague language currently on the books to evade prosecution in Pennsylvania. Chop shops disassemble vehicles, usually stolen ones, and sell the parts.
Some fraudsters have been using the current law’s vagueness to get away with thousands of dollars in insurance fraud, and Longietti’s bill would clearly define what would be considered illegally obtained.
“There have been many cases where a car owner gives their vehicle to a chop shop and claims it has been stolen to collect the insurance money,” said Longietti. “Defendants have been evading prosecution through the vague wording of the statute because they successfully argue that the car was not illegally obtained, just freely given to the chop shop.
“In many cases, neither the chop shop owner nor the car owner could be prosecuted under the current chop shop law while law-abiding Pennsylvanians are saddled with paying higher insurance costs.”
Longietti said that spelling out what is considered “illegally obtained” would provide prosecutors with a tool to hold con artists accountable for their crimes.
The bill now heads to the full House of Representatives.
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