Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001

9 Rights to enter and inspect premises

(1) A constable may at any reasonable time enter and inspect premises for the time being entered in the register of a local authority as premises which are—

(a) occupied as a motor salvage yard by a person carrying on business as a motor salvage operator; or

(b) occupied by a person carrying on business as a motor salvage operator wholly or partly for the purposes of his business so far as it consists of any of the activities mentioned in section 1(2).

(2) A constable may at any reasonable time—

(a) require production of, and inspect, any motor vehicles or salvageable parts kept at premises falling within subsection (1); and

(b) require production of, inspect and take copies of or extracts from any records which the person carrying on business as a motor salvage operator is required to keep at such premises by virtue of this Part.

(3) Subsection (4) applies where, on an application made by a constable, a justice of the peace is satisfied that admission to premises specified in the application is reasonably required in order to secure compliance with the provisions of this Part, or to ascertain whether those provisions are being complied with.

(4) The justice may issue a warrant authorising a constable to enter and inspect the premises concerned.

(5) A constable—

(a) shall not be entitled to use force to enter premises in the exercise of his powers under subsection (1); but

(b) may if necessary use reasonable force in the exercise of his powers under a warrant issued under subsection (4).

(6) A constable, in seeking to enter any premises in the exercise of his powers under subsection (1), shall, if required by or on behalf of the owner or occupier or person in charge of the premises, produce evidence of his identity, and of his authority for entering, before doing so.