What can the police search for?

The power to stop and search in PACE enables a constable to search for stolen or ‘prohibited articles’ or knives – with the exclusion of short-bladed penknives. PACE defines two categories of prohibited article:

An offensive weapon.
An article made or adapted for use in connection with one of a list of offences including burglary, theft, taking a conveyance without authority (or being carried in one), obtaining property by deception and criminal damage.

V irtually any article could come within this second definition but there would have to be some evidence of the use of the article or the intention of the person making, adapting or carrying it, otherwise a constable would not have reasonable grounds to search.

The police also have power to stop and search for specific items under a number of other statutes. Most particularly, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 enables a constable to stop and search you or your vehicle for ‘controlled drugs’.

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