No person, without the consent of the owner or the person in charge of a motor vehicle, shall change the position of the levers, switches or other parts of said motor vehicle, or in any way use, occupy, injure, deface, scratch, cut, tamper with or molest any motor vehicle. This section shall not apply when police or peace officers, for lawful purposes, in case of emergency, must move a vehicle, or when it is necessary for anyone to move a motor vehicle temporarily, without starting the motor thereof, for the purpose of extracting another vehicle from a congested position. (1985 Code ch. 20 § 12-3)