Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

If a store employee made a report about me to police for alleged "suspicious" behavior because I locked the keys to my rental car inside, the door was not shut all the way, and I was buying some stiff wire to try to push the unlock button to open the door. The car was on private property that the owners had givin me permission to be on and I may have appeared somewhat tense because I locked myself out while it was dark outside and had to set up a tent and sleep with sand and rocks below me see I did not get much sleep. I told the store employee that I was going to try to open the car I had rented since I had locked my keys inside. In summary, I was reported for appearing suspicious to someone and while I was walking back to my rental car a policeman pulled over behind me and asked where the car was, why I was there, what my name was, and if I had ever been arrested. Is it legal to make a police report in this circumstance even though I did not break any law?


Asked on 4/04/11, 6:06 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Of course it's legal. Even you admit that your actions appeared suspicious. The shopkeeper did not have to believe your story. More generally, people are not required to be certain a crime is being committed before they call the police. Such a requirement would result in a lot more crimes, and a lot fewer arrests.

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Answered on 4/04/11, 6:31 pm


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