Did you know that there is a law on the books that says the government can steal your property? Under civil forfeiture laws, any police officer can walk up to you and claim he has a right to seize your property if he or she suspects that property is used as part of criminal activity.
In case you're wondering what the on-the-books definition of civil forefeiture is, civil forfeiture is when law enforcement can seize any form of property if its suspected to be part of criminal activity. In fact, property owners don't even have to be guilty of proving a crime.
According to a report from The Heritage Foundation, civil asset forfeiture proceedings charge the property as being involved in the crime as opposed to the person. If you're wondering what the government can take from you in these cases, here are six examples of some of the things government is allowed to take from you.
1. Your Car
(Photo Credit: The New York Times)
Police officers use civil asset forfeiture to seize cars from drunk drivers, shoplifters, and people suspected of statutory rape.
2. Your Guns
The DEA listed that it seized a Hi Point C9 9mm pistol with magazine in Colorado in its latest report.
3. Your Money
Most civil asset forfeiture cases involve the seizure of money or assets within a bank account. MRCTV previously reported how the government seized $33,000 in assets from a small business owner because of the government's claim that she failed to accurately report her income.
4. Your Home
Even if you weren't charged with a crime, cops can seize your home. According to Business Insider, police seized the home of a couple who had never been charged with a crime because their son dealt heroin out of their house.
5. Your Clothing
The U.S. Marshals Service website has an entire page linking to an auction website with mens shoes, sports jerseys, and hats for sale that had been seized through civil asset forefeiture.
6. Your Jewelry
The DEA report also shows reports of several Rolex watches government officials seized in August from a man in New York.