Live data from Hacker News

Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

washingtonpost.com

1–10 of 223 posts

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#2
"They sought warrants to search Heuring’s home and the barn, alleging that there was probable cause that a crime had been committed — that Heuring had committed theft by taking off the GPS tracker. While searching the barn, they found the tracker in a bathroom locker. They also found evidence of drug use: a glass pipe.

A subsequent search, granted by a judge based on the paraphernalia, uncovered bags of methamphetamine, pills, digital scales and a gun. Heuring was charged with drug dealing and with theft."

Smart enough to take the tracker off the car. Dumb enough to keep it on-location with conviction-worthy drug paraphernalia.

Attach it to a hire car. Keep it moving, but as far away from your illegalities as possible, my goodness.

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#4
By this logic, with a simple warrant, the police could place a big, obvious microphone in the middle of your living room, label it "Police surveillance mic", and you would be forbidden from removing it.

I find that much more troubling than any technicalities around 'did he know it belonged to the cops'. Just how much obedience can a simple warrant coerce out of supposedly free citizens?

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#5
Disgusting abuse of power manages to catch a criminal. Is that our only metric for success now? Putting people in prison? Might as well shred the constitution, apparently we're ready to burn everything it stood for to prevent people from getting high.

I know I sound dramatic but it is honestly impossible to overstate how damaging to privacy rights and how much horrific police militarization can be directly and indirectly laid at the feet of the war on drugs.

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#7

Disgusting abuse of power manages to catch a criminal. Is that our only metric for success now? Putting people in prison? Might as well shred the constitution, apparently we're ready to burn everything it stood for to prevent people from getting high. I know I sound dramatic but it is honestly impossible to overstate how damaging to privacy rights and how much horrific police militarization can be directly and indire…

> Disgusting abuse of power manages to catch a criminal. Is that our only metric for success now?

looking back over the years, from the outside, I think that's been the american attitude all along.

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#9
At least one Justice gets it. The original judge shouldn't have issued the second warrant. First of all, what law was broken by remove the legally placed device? (The fact that it is different than a consumer device sounds be immaterial) second, isn't possession 9/10s the law? It is on his car, he should have a right to remove it. I would also be concerned with the police planning an active device on the car. This will definitely set a dangerous precedent.

Re: Indiana man charged with theft for removing police tracking device from car

#10
post #4

By this logic, with a simple warrant, the police could place a big, obvious microphone in the middle of your living room, label it "Police surveillance mic", and you would be forbidden from removing it. I find that much more troubling than any technicalities around 'did he know it belonged to the cops'. Just how much obedience can a simple warrant coerce out of supposedly free citizens?

Just stick an Amazon or Google logo on it and people will buy it and place it themselves..
Post reply on HN