I can’t be arrested for returning a U-Haul vehicle late, right?
It’s late, you’ve spent all weekend moving, and you’re tired. You were supposed to return the truck yesterday, but what difference is a couple more days going to make? Or maybe you were supposed to return it on Monday, but life/work/school/covid/pick-a-thing really messed up your week, and you don’t return it until Friday. If you think being charged for a few extra days is the worst thing that can happen, think again.
So, what is the worst thing that can happen if I return my U-Haul late?
So what, I didn’t return my U-Haul truck on-time. What are they going to do, arrest me?
Yes. U-Haul can have you arrested for returning a U-Haul vehicle late.
In fact, you can be arrested and charged with theft of services, or worse yet, grand theft for “stealing” the vehicle.
Think I’m joking? Google it, I’ll wait… Shocking, right?
U-Haul won’t tell you this, but you should know…
Getting anyone to give you a straight answer might not be as easy as it should be. So, we’ve done some of the foot work for you and gathered this information:
- U-Haul allows each location to use their discretion when deciding when to report a vehicle stolen. That means that there is no real cut-off between being charged additional days vs. charged with vehicle theft.
- Once you have been charged, it is too late for the rental location do anything. That’s why it’s a good idea to ask about penalties for late returns prior to renting the truck.
- You can still be arrested even after returning the truck. Yup, doesn’t that just suck a bag of sticks? Unfortunately, just because “stolen” property was recovered, does not mean that it wasn’t “stolen” to begin with. If the charges were filed before you returned the truck, congratulations you’re on the hook for it.
- These are NOT minor charges, and they can result in some serious penalties if you’re convicted. Typically, when we see these cases, they are charged as a class 4 felony (F4). That carries a mandatory minimum sentence of:
- 2-6 years in prison
- 3 years on parole
- and fines ranging from $2,000 – $500,000 depending on the severity of the crime.
And that’s for a first offense. Individuals with prior felony convictions may face even more severe penalties.
- You might not even know you’ve been charged with a crime. We’ve seen it happen many times, where a client will contact us, often from another state, and tell us they just found out they have a felony warrant in Colorado for vehicle theft from 2, 5, even 10 years ago. We’ve even heard about people being arrested at gun-point inside of Colorado for the same thing, never even knowing they had a warrant.
Being charged for U-Haul theft can ruin your life.
To review; Yes, you can be charged with a felony for returning a rental vehicle late. Yes, that charge will follow you around and can impact your ability to get a job, own a firearm, apply for a loan, or renew your driver’s license. And yes, if you are found guilty, you are looking at real prison time, even on a first offense. That’s pretty much all the bad news, but it does get better.
We can help you beat U-Haul criminal charges!
The good news is that an experienced attorney can help you, and in many cases, get the charges completely dismissed. We’ve handled a number of cases like these, and we can help you too. If you’re being charged with theft of services, vehicle theft, or any other crime associated with returning a U-Haul truck late, call Andrew Brown, of Pav Law, at (719) 888-7888 to discuss your case. We’re ready to listen, and we’re here to help!
One thing to note: If you are being SUED for money for not returning the truck on time, you need to contact a civil attorney. Pav Law do not handle civil suits.
