---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-9-51. Destruction, removal, concealment, encumbrance, or transfer of property subject to security interest.
collection: code
id: 16-9-51
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-9-51 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-51
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-51.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-51/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch7-11-(v14a)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=aecbfe9c_0#page=528
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / FORGERY AND FRAUDULENT PRACTICES / FRAUD AND RELATED OFFENSES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-9-51. Destruction, removal, concealment, encumbrance, or transfer of property subject to security interest.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, a person who destroys, removes, conceals, encumbers, transfers, or otherwise deals with property subject to a security interest with intent to hinder enforcement of that interest shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) A person who destroys, removes, conceals, encumbers, transfers, or otherwise deals with property subject to a security interest with intent to hinder enforcement of that security interest and in so doing does damage to such property in an amount greater than $500.00 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

(c) In a prosecution under this Code section the crime shall be considered as having been committed in any county where any act in furtherance of the criminal scheme was done or caused to be done.

## History

Code 1933, § 26-1707, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 299, § 1.