You can certainly say that law enforcement officers in Orange County are willing to employ creative techniques in an effort to nab criminal suspects. Take for example an investigative trick used by police in Tustin.
In an effort to catch suspects who had been breaking into neighborhood pharmacies, investigators resorted to putting a GPS tracking device into a bottle of cough syrup. And while it took some time before their suspects took the bait, it appears that the strategy ultimately paid off.
The simple but effective plan was put into play after a department crime analyst charted the locations, days and times of a collection of pharmacy burglaries and tried to determine if there were any patterns. The analyst deduced that a particular pharmacy was a strong candidate for being burglarized.
After getting permission from the pharmacy’s owner, the police dropped the GPS device into the cough syrup and put it on a shelf where it sat for several months. But eventually, the pharmacy was broken into, and the bugged bottle was taken. The signal from the device helped police locate two male suspects, ages 20 and 21, who were arrested on suspicion of having committed the burglary.
So, be forewarned that GPS units have been used by the department to catch over 100 suspected thieves. Other items outfitted with the devices include delivery packages, bicycles and even an automobile. The Police Department vows to continue to use the GPS technology with the hope that all criminals in the city will give pause before stealing something to wonder if it contains one of the devices.
This story demonstrates how determined the police can be when trying to apprehend a suspect. But if the police should become overzealous in carrying out their duties, it is possible that they could impinge upon a suspect’s rights.’
If you have been arrested for burglary or any other theft-related crime, you could likely benefit from having an experienced criminal attorney act as your representative. If your rights were violated during the arrest, the attorney may be able to have the case dismissed.
Source: SFGATE, “Cough syrup?s tracker helps police nab suspected burglars,” Dec, 2, 2016