So me and a few friends went to explore a haunted hotel that we heard about. I knew security was tight so I wanted to go with just a few people and head in before sunrise. Of course the night before, turns out we had a much bigger group then I expected and we were late to making it in before sunrise. We however did continue as planned and I told myself I was just being paranoid and pursued. So we enter and everything seems okay until about 20 minutes into exploring we see a security guard approaching the building so I lead everyone out. It sucked because we were only on the second floor of the building and really only explored about 15% of what it had to offer. Just as we made it out of the building security stopped us. We thought of running but our cars were just too far and we had too many people. He just took pictures of our licenses and said he's forwarding them to the police. I'm not sure what will happen next

I made a video for the ordeal since I usually make urban exploration videos. Watch until the end to see us getting caught.

https://www.youtub...atch?v=xPW-ywvvosM

" this is like the 500th arrest that we've made "


LOLOLOLOLOLOL

Lol, the Buck Hill takes a few more victims!

Keep us posted. I kind of have a similar issue pending as well... :/

Posted by GuyOnTheMainStreet He just took pictures of our licenses and said he's forwarding them to the police. I'm not sure what will happen next

Probably nothing. At the worst, you may get a letter in the mail.
They probably put all of you on a list of people caught and asked to leave.

Don't get caught there again, because you're going to have a hard time talking your way out.

For future reference, anyone can demand anyone to see their ID, but that doesn't mean you have to make it available to them. Just refuse without being aggressive. If they make any mistake in detaining someone against their will, it opens them up to a huge liability. Quite easily more than whatever loss they were trying to prevent.

If you're directed to stay and you do as they say, that's at will.

Whenever possible, don't park somewhere that makes it impossible to retrieve it
if you were to be escorted out. About the only thing you have to take literally is to leave promptly if you're asked to leave. I don't know if the parking area you parked is on their property but if you park anywhere that's marked authorized use only, they're within their rights to tow while you're exploring. Watch out for that.

Along the lines of what Deuterium said:

If you're caught by security guards, they will try to make you think they have more authority / legal powers than they actually do. The can't detain you, and you don't have to show ID. The best choice is always to leave before the cops arrive. Even if that means walking away from them while they demand you stay - they don't have that power.

On the other hand, if you're caught by police, they most definitely can detain you, and it's generally advisable to give them ID if they ask for it, and be generally compliant and respectful.

Police and security are two totally different things.

As for them "forwarding your info to police", in most situations (there are definitely exceptions), the cops are just going to do the bare minimum they're legally required to do about these kinds of issues, if they do anything at all. Security companies know this, and honestly, I doubt they even bother to really forward anything. My guess would be they just tell you that to discourage you from coming back again. So I wouldn't stress about that.

Unfortunately in my situation, I was unaware that there was any sort of issue until I was told that there was a warrant out for my arrest... That definitely got my attention (and they definitely detained me for it too).

Posted by Dee Ashley Unfortunately in my situation, I was unaware that there was any sort of issue until I was told that there was a warrant out for my arrest... That definitely got my attention (and they definitely detained me for it too).

Was there really a warrant?

Pull your damn pants up.

At this point I believe you are pretty safe. I found this on the web:

https://www.ncjrs....on/146908NCJRS.pdf

A bit dated for sure, but I'm sure standing precedent applies, specifically to this paragraph found on p.19

In the absBnce of a specific statute or deputization, the private citizen is not privileged to arrest another solely upon the reasonable belief that the arrestee was
the perpetrator. In the case of a felony arrest, if
the private security officer believes that a person committed an offense and effectuates an arrest on reason- able cause, he still might be subject to criminal and
civil liability in some states if, in fact, he was wrong.9 In the case of a misdemeanor, the arrested person must
be guilty of the misdemeanor, and it must be committed
in the presence of the private security employee or private citizen. 62 Yale L.J. 788 (1953). An arrest must be made immediately or in fresh pursuit. 9 Halsbury,
Laws of England 86-9, 2d ed. Hailsham (1933). Some
states have narrowed the authority of a private person
by limiting arrest committed in his presence to felony cases only.


Since the "officers" didn't actually arrest you, and copies of your ID only were taken it would be a tough prosecution. With that being said, posting a video of the offence as well as the detention wherein you were informed you were committing a crime (and even worse an admission on your part of the commission of the crime) COULD be used as evidence and make the prosecutions job a slam dunk. Absent that video, they have absolutely no evidence whatsoever since the police were not called. Security guards with copies of your ID is not proof of a criminal offense.

If it were me...I'd be taking the video down for at least 6 months.

Posted by DJ Craig Along the lines of what Deuterium said: If you're caught by security guards, they will try to make you think they have more authority / legal powers than they actually do. The can't detain you, and you don't have to show ID.

But... there are situations where different rules apply. Game wardens, park rangers and publicly or state owned facility security may have the authority to detain. Quite often "security guards" like to make the interviewee feel like they're required to comply with their request.

Blowing off a lawful order without realizing it will probably get you in trouble. If they're ordering "stop you need to stay" and you're not sure about their authority present yourself as someone willing to comply with a lawful order but you're not sure if he's asking or giving you a lawful order. If you don't get a clear answer, let him know he hasn't given any indication that you're given a lawful order and you're leaving.

On the other hand, if you're caught by police, they most definitely can detain you, and it's generally advisable to give them ID if they ask for it, and be generally compliant and respectful.

And most definitely don't make a scene arguing about some silly things just to challenge their authority

No gun? That means no cop.
That stupid bastard has a 100% chance of getting brutally fucked the fuck up if he corners me and won't let me leave.
I ain't doin' shit but it's not my building so I'll leave. Some dumb fuck wants to call the cops because I was wandering around taking photos where thousands upon thousands of others have tread, he's gonna get more than he bargained for.

I've gotten caught by security before and I usually just tell em straight off the bat that I am leaving/will leave. If they try to make more of a big deal of it than that, such as demanding that I stay or give up ID/photos/whatever, I just repeat that I'm leaving and thats it. Usually they just give up at that point since all they really want is for it to stop being their problem although I did have one pretty crazy asshole who was screaming at me the entire way off and even a bit onto a public sidewalk. Some of them really get off on their assumed sense of authority and have fuck all better to do. In those cases you just gotta hope the cops don't respond quickly.

Posted by Shawn W. Was there really a warrant?

According to the trooper that arrested me, yes. There really was a warrant.

Whoa. Dee's a crim...

Hey, now! Innocent until proven guilty here in the US of A!

Sorry darlin'. You're in Texas...Find a tree gita' rope! If the cops arrested you, you've gotta be guilty of SOMETHING!

At least you're not black in East Texas. "All that paperwork and dem bleeden' heart liberal New York Jew lawyers. Shit, we ain't-a-gonna 'rest ya'. We'll just drag ya 'hind 'are truk"

As someone who used to work in the private security sector, I'm reasonably certain that those guards had no legal right to photograph your ID and disseminate it to the police.

If they were truly interested in involving the police, they would have simply used Citizen's Arrest to detain you for trespassing and called the police forthwith.


Yes, that's right. I said "forthwith". I'll show myself out now.

Posted by Darendor As someone who used to work in the private security sector, I'm reasonably certain that those guards had no legal right to photograph your ID and disseminate it to the police. If they were truly interested in involving the police, they would have simply used Citizen's Arrest to detain you for trespassing and called the police forthwith. Yes, that's right. I said "forthwith". I'll show myself out now.

It's hard to detain a group that runs off in all directions.
Not a LEO? Book like the Road Runner on meth...beep, beep!

Posted by Dee Ashley Hey, now! Innocent until proven guilty here in the US of A!

With your profile pic as evidence I believe you're not a serial trespasser but simply a avid bird watcher looking for the perfect shot angle.