Vehicle antitheft device with improved locking bolt retention means

The lock for a motor vehicle has a bolt (36) held in a retracted tilted position by a retraining bar (254) which can be retracted against a spring (262). In the retracted position, the bolt retaining finger (252) formed on the end of bar is held in a complementary recess (250) in the bolt. The retaining bar is slidably mounted in the lock casing parallel to the axis of movement and rotation of the manual control handle (38).