§ 396-j. Sale or possession of master or manipulative keys for motor\nvehicles. 1. Any person, firm, copartnership, corporation or\nassociation, or any agent or employee thereof who (a) sells, offers for\nsale or advertises for sale or knowingly possesses any master or\nmanipulative key or device designed to open or capable of opening the\ndoor or trunk of any motor vehicle, or of starting the engine thereof,\nor (b) knowingly possesses any key cutter, manufacturing device or tool\nwhich is capable of producing, duplicating or altering any key designed\nto open or capable of opening the door or trunk of any motor vehicle, or\nof starting the engine thereof, under circumstances evincing an intent\nto use or knowledge that some person intends to use the same to make a\nkey to unlawfully enter or operate any motor vehicle, or (c) knowingly\npossesses any duplicate key or key blank or device designed to open or\ncapable of opening or capable of being readily adapted to open the door\nor trunk of any motor vehicle, or of starting the engine thereof, under\ncircumstances evincing an intent to use or knowledge that some person\nintends to use the same to unlawfully enter or operate any motor\nvehicle, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.\n 2. This section shall not apply to a dealer of new or used motor\nvehicles, a car rental agent, or a locksmith or their agents while\nacting within the scope of their employment; or a private investigator,\nor his employees, who is licensed and bonded by the state of New York\nand who in the usual course of business repossesses motor vehicles; or a\nstate or municipal law enforcement officer acting within the scope of\nhis official duties.\n 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section,\nit shall be lawful for an automobile club duly organized under the\nMembership Corporations Law, for the purpose of providing services to\nits members, its duly authorized employees or agents, to possess and use\na device other than a master or manipulative key for the purpose of\nopening a door of a locked motor vehicle when requested to do so by a\nmember of said automobile club who is the owner or the operator in\nlawful possession of said motor vehicle.\n
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