Section 1548.17. Notification of watercraft thefts

Every peace officer, sheriff, watercraft officer, division of parks and recreation officer, division of wildlife officer, conservancy district officer, constable, or state highway patrol trooper, having knowledge of a stolen watercraft or outboard motor, shall immediately furnish the chief of the division of watercraft with full information concerning the theft.

The chief, whenever a report of the theft or conversion of a watercraft or outboard motor is received, shall make a distinctive record of it, including the make of the stolen watercraft or outboard motor and its manufacturer's or assigned serial number, and shall file the record in the numerical order of the manufacturer's or assigned serial number with the index records of the watercraft or outboard motors of such make. The chief shall prepare a report listing watercraft and outboard motors stolen and recovered as disclosed by the reports submitted to the chief, to be distributed as the chief deems advisable.

If, under section 1548.02 of the Revised Code, the chief learns of the issuance of a certificate of title to such a watercraft or outboard motor, the chief shall immediately notify the rightful owner of the watercraft or outboard motor and the clerk who issued the certificate of title, and if, upon investigation, it appears that the certificate of title was improperly issued, the chief shall immediately cancel it.

In the event of the recovery of a stolen or converted watercraft or outboard motor, the owner shall immediately notify the chief, who shall remove the record of the theft or conversion from the chief's file.

Effective Date: 10-31-2001