Section 52 — Crimes Act 1961: Defence of movable property against trespasser

52 Defence of movable property against trespasser (1) Every one in peaceable possession of any movable thing, and every one lawfully assisting him, is justified in using reasonable force to resist the taking of the thing by any trespasser or to retake it from any trespasser, if in either case he does not strike or do bodily harm to the trespasser. (2) [Repealed] Compare: 1908 No 32 s 77 Subsection (2) was repealed, as from 1 January 1981, by section 2(2) Crimes Amendment Act 1980 (1980 No 63).