Acting Police Spokesperson SSP Ruwan Gunasekara said that action can be taken under the charges of robbery when the vehicles are forcibly seized by persons backed by leasing companies due to late payment of installments.

If there are vehicles whose leasing installments have not been paid, the leasing companies should inform the Police OIC of the concerned area and take necessary measures.

“If a company intends to seize a vehicle, they can inform the Police OIC of that area. The OIC will then provide several police officers. These police officers are provided to protect the law and order if there is any violent incident in the process. A few months ago in Kandy, some people who were attempting to seize a vehicle assaulted the driver, took a key suspected to be the car key and then seized the vehicle. We had to launch investigations against these people under the charges of robbery,” SSP Gunasekara further said.

At a press conference held yesterday (06), the Joint Association of Leasing and Debt Instalment Payers alleged that leasing companies still charge installments unfairly and seize their vehicles by force when installments are delayed.