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THEFT ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1969 - SECT 25

25.(1) If it is made to appear by information on oath before a justice of the
peace that there is reasonable cause to believe that any person has in his
custody or possession or on his premises any stolen goods, the justice may
grant a warrant to search for and seize the same; but no warrant to search for
stolen goods shall be addressed to a person other than a constable except
under the authority of an enactment expressly so providing.

(2) An officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary not below the rank of district
inspector may give a constable written authority to search any premises for
stolen goods

(a)if the person in occupation of the premises has been convicted within the
preceding five years of handling stolen goods or of any offence involving
dishonesty and punishable with imprisonment; or

(b)if a person who has been convicted within the preceding five years of
handling stolen goods has within the preceding twelve months been in
occupation of the premises.

(3) Where, under this section, a person is authorised to search premises for
stolen goods, he may enter and search the premises accordingly, and may seize
any goods he believes to be stolen goods.

(4) The Police (Property) Act 1897 (which makes provision for the disposal of
property in the possession of the police) shall apply to property which has
come into the possession of a constable under this section as it applies to
property which has come into the possession of the police in the circumstances
mentioned in that Act.

(5) This section is to be construed in accordance with section 23; and, in
subsection (2) of this section, the references to handling stolen goods shall
include any corresponding offence committed before the commencement of
this Act.

© 1969 Crown Copyright

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