When police investigate certain crimes, they might suspect a person of a completely unrelated crime during the course of their original investigation. This can result in a person being charged with multiple crimes.
Police might say that they were investigating a certain crime, only to stumble upon other potentially illegal activity. A man was arrested late last week in Colorado after police said they were investigating accusations of shoplifting at a Kohl’s department store. However, the man wasn’t just arrested for allegations of theft. He will also face charges of distribution of narcotics. Police say they found heroin and methamphetamine in his car along with drug paraphernalia.
Even though police might be able to arrest a person on multiple charges that weren’t part of their initial investigation, they must still ensure that their initial investigation was warranted. If a person believes that they were the target of a police investigation without a sufficient reason, they might want to speak with an attorney.
Sometimes police might target individuals because they look suspicious according to police, or they are in a certain place at the wrong time. This shouldn’t result in a person having to face serious accusations and charges.
This unfair treatment by police could result in a person spending significant time in prison, paying large fines, and having their reputation damaged. Just because police have a hunch or believe someone looks like they are doing something illegal, doesn’t necessarily give them the right to interrogate or arrest a person for an alleged crime.
Source: Fox 21, “Police: Shoplifting investigation leads to drug bust,” Rechel Welte, Dec. 21, 2013