# Would you turn in someone you recognized from surveillance footage?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-someone-you-recognized-from-surveillance-footage/707678>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 19, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-someone-you-recognized-from-surveillance-footage/707678 "2014-12-19T17:27:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-someone-you-recognized-from-surveillance-footage/707678/21 "2014-12-19T19:39:35Z")

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I can’t imagine a guy winding up on the evening news for selling loosies. Or anything equivalent.

“Police are on the lookout for this man, seen here on surveillance footage in a mattress store removing tags. The public is advised to approach him with caution - he may have scissors.”

Regards,  
Shodan

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**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-someone-you-recognized-from-surveillance-footage/707678/22 "2014-12-19T19:54:37Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Is there legal liability for turning in the wrong person to police in good faith? “He looks exactly like John, I’m sure it’s John?”

I didn’t leave details above but the incident I referred to fits this scenario. AFAIK, the cops took a look and concluded he wasn’t the guy.

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**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-someone-you-recognized-from-surveillance-footage/707678/23 "2014-12-19T20:59:57Z")

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> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> That’s a little over the top, don’t you think? This couldn’t have been resolved in an adult fashion?

He could’ve taken off his clothes first?

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