So the difference is your intent when you take the vehicle?

Yes. There was a case in Ontario where a man took a policeman's motorcycle while the policeman was making out a parking ticket for him. He meant to take the motorcycle as a joke but the policeman was not amused and charged him with theft. He was convicted, but then the Court of Appeal said that he should have been charged with the joyriding offence since he did not intend to convert the property for his own use. Joyriding means taking a vehicle and operating it without the owner's consent.

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June 2006

More Criminal Code FAQs:

• General
• Joyriding
• Shoplifting

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