77-7-12 - Detaining persons suspected of shoplifting or library theft -- Persons authorized.
77-7-12. Detaining persons suspected of shoplifting or library theft -- Personsauthorized.
(1) A peace officer, merchant, or merchant's employee, servant, or agent who hasreasonable grounds to believe that goods held or displayed for sale by the merchant have beentaken by a person with intent to steal may, for the purpose of investigating the unlawful act andattempting to effect a recovery of the goods, detain the person in a reasonable manner for areasonable length of time.
(2) A peace officer or employee of a library may detain a person for the purposes andunder the limits of Subsection (1) if there are reasonable grounds to believe the person violatedTitle 76, Chapter 6, Part 8, Library Theft.
Amended by Chapter 245, 1987 General Session