Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Is Undercover Evidence Gathering Ever a "Crime"?

[CarinaCisneros]

I am curious about what if any thresh-hold there is for undercover investigations, and evidence gathering. For example, if an indercover investigator needs evidence against Persons A & B, and to do this he watches/records them plan a theft, watches or has them watched as they steal my valuable property (maybe even video tapes it), then documents where my property goes, then follows the money trail after it is sold, and has his case. Do I not have some legitimate complaint about an officer/investigator not protecting me or my property, and in effect using me in the evidence gathering? What if in the end they can not find the money which came from the theft of what was mine? What if the property was sold and the money went to someone who is now found to have massive tax debt, and her money and property is taken by the I.R.S.? Do I have any recourse? After all, instead of using my tax dollars to "protect and serve" me, they used my tax dollars to allow what was mine to become a pawn in their investigation, or is that not right?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

This is a good question and I'm not sure of the answer. Perhaps there is some victim compensation in some form. I can say this -- at times if the operation is set up for surveillance only then there may not be the opportunity for the officer to safely (1) remove him or her self from the situation and (2) make the appropriate arrests and prevent the crime. I cannot apply that in this situation. Is this what happened to you? Have you spoken to the authorities? I do know that the local municipalities have been responsible to pay for broken doors on several occasions. The majority of my experience is in other areas than pure criminal law and I would be interested to hear more about this as well.

I am curious about what if any thresh-hold there is for undercover investigations, and evidence gathering. For example, if an indercover investigator needs evidence against Persons A & B, and to do this he watches/records them plan a theft, watches or has them watched as they steal my valuable property (maybe even video tapes it), then documents where my property goes, then follows the money trail after it is sold, and has his case. Do I not have some legitimate complaint about an officer/investigator not protecting me or my property, and in effect using me in the evidence gathering? What if in the end they can not find the money which came from the theft of what was mine? What if the property was sold and the money went to someone who is now found to have massive tax debt, and her money and property is taken by the I.R.S.? Do I have any recourse? After all, instead of using my tax dollars to "protect and serve" me, they used my tax dollars to allow what was mine to become a pawn in their investigation, or is that not right?