Can They make me come in to be questioned?

[wallywagger]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?From Utah
The Sunday before Christmas I went to a home that was under construction. I work in the construction industry, and I had a side job coming up that included several large and small drywall hole patch's. So I went looking for drywall scrap, and 2x4 scrap in order to save material money. I pulled onto the site and walked around the outside of the house looking for a scrap pile. When i came back around to my truck, I noticed that there was another vehical there, but I didn't see anyone. I left and I had gone about 4 blocks when that vehical almost ran me off the road. Some guy jumps out and starts yelling at me, why was I trespassing?, ect. I told him that I was looking for scrap, and he called me a thief, and that he had a picture of my plate number on his phone.Then he calls 911 and tells them to send a sheriff cause he caught a burgalar. Well I got scared, and I took off. He really did get my plate number, because when I called my girl a few hours later, she told me that the police had been there looking for me, and that I was suppose to get ahold of the sheriff's office. The next day I went to the sheriff's office and told them why I was there. They sent a detective to talk to me. He told them that he would call me after he had read the report.About a week later he called and now he wants me to come in for questioning.
My question is do i have to go in to be questioned? It seems to me that if I admit that I was there to get scrap, then it's like admitting that I was there to take something without permission. If I don't go in, can they pick me up and detain me, and if so what should I do then? Thanking you in advance ! Wally

 

[Proseguru]

You are under no obligation to answer any police questions; sometimes just to ID yourself if your state law requires it.

You should not have spoken to them in the first place.

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?From Utah
The Sunday before Christmas I went to a home that was under construction. I work in the construction industry, and I had a side job coming up that included several large and small drywall hole patch's. So I went looking for drywall scrap, and 2x4 scrap in order to save material money. I pulled onto the site and walked around the outside of the house looking for a scrap pile. When i came back around to my truck, I noticed that there was another vehical there, but I didn't see anyone. I left and I had gone about 4 blocks when that vehical almost ran me off the road. Some guy jumps out and starts yelling at me, why was I trespassing?, ect. I told him that I was looking for scrap, and he called me a thief, and that he had a picture of my plate number on his phone.Then he calls 911 and tells them to send a sheriff cause he caught a burgalar. Well I got scared, and I took off. He really did get my plate number, because when I called my girl a few hours later, she told me that the police had been there looking for me, and that I was suppose to get ahold of the sheriff's office. The next day I went to the sheriff's office and told them why I was there. They sent a detective to talk to me. He told them that he would call me after he had read the report.About a week later he called and now he wants me to come in for questioning.
My question is do i have to go in to be questioned? It seems to me that if I admit that I was there to get scrap, then it's like admitting that I was there to take something without permission. If I don't go in, can they pick me up and detain me, and if so what should I do then? Thanking you in advance ! Wally

Bottom line here is that you were trespassing and you were trying to steal that which did not belong to you. Avoiding the situation won't necessarily make it go away.

No, you don't HAVE to go in for questioning. But that doesn't mean that the detective won't end up coming to you instead. If the detective sees that you are avoiding contact to explain yourself, it COULD come down to bringing you down to the station to have a heart-to-heart with them. Of course, at that point, it would probably be best to bring an attorney with you.