(a) A peace officer, a merchant or a merchant's employee who has probable cause for believing that goods held for sale by the merchant have been unlawfully taken by a person and that he can recover them by taking the person into custody may, for the purpose of attempting to effect such recovery, take the person into custody and detain him in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time. Such taking into custody and detention by a peace officer, merchant or merchant's employee shall not render such police officer, merchant or merchant's employee criminally or civilly liable for false arrest, false imprisonment or unlawful detention.
(b) Any peace officer may arrest without warrant any person he has probable cause for believing has committed larceny in retail or wholesale establishments.
(c) A merchant or a merchant's employee who causes such arrest as provided for in subsection (a) of this section of a person for larceny of goods held for sale shall not be criminally or civilly liable for false arrest or false imprisonment where the merchant or merchant's employee has probable cause for believing that the person arrested committed larceny of goods held for sale.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 15 - Criminal Procedure.
Article 1 - Arrest Before Indictment.
Section 15-10-1 - Officers Authorized to Make Arrests.
Section 15-10-3 - Arrest Without Warrant - Generally; Written Report; Protection Orders.
Section 15-10-6 - Offense Committed in Presence of Judge or Magistrate.
Section 15-10-7 - Arrests by Private Persons.
Section 15-10-8 - When Notice of Arrest for Capital Felony to Be Given to Governor or Chief Justice.
Section 15-10-9 - Rearrest After Escape or Rescue.
Section 15-10-10 - Where Warrant to Be Executed; Endorsement When Executed in Different County.
Section 15-10-12 - When Defendant to Be Taken Before Judge or Magistrate Issuing Warrant.
Section 15-10-14 - Detention and Arrest of Person Suspected of Larceny of Goods Held for Sale.