Metropolitan Police Act 1839

LXVIII Horses, Carriages, &c. of Offenders may be detained.

And be it enacted, That whenever any Person having Charge of any Horse, Cart, Carriage, or Boat, or any other Animal or Thing, shall be taken into the Custody of any Constable under the Provisions of this Act, it shall be lawful for any Constable to take charge of such Horse, Cart, Carriage, or Boat, or such other Animal or Thing, and to deposit the same in some Place of safe Custody, as a Security for Payment of any Penalty to which the Person having had Charge thereof may become liable, and for Payment of any Expences which may have been necessarily incurred for taking charge of and keeping the same; and it shall be lawful or any Magistrate before whom the Case shall have been heard to order such Horse, Cart, Carriage, or Boat, or such other Animal or Thing, to be sold, for the Purpose of satisfying such Penalty, and reasonable Expences in default of Payment thereof, in like Manner as if the same had been subject to be distrained, and had been distrained for the Payment of such Penalty and reasonable Expences.