Surveillance cameras capture police rummaging through homeowner's bags and searching his car without permission



Police officers looking for a convicted felon have been accused of violating a homeowner's constitutional rights after being caught on surveillance cameras digging through bags and searching a car without permission.

Officers had gone to the home of Jon Locke on February 5 after an arrest warrant for fraud was issued for his brother Christopher.



One officer can be seen on tape rifling through duffel bags, while another fiddles with a camera in the back yard of the home in Dallas, Texas.

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Rummage: The police officer rifles through the duffel bag outside the Dallas home on February 5 without the owner's permission

Violation: Homeowner Jon Locke says that his constitutional rights were violated with the search

Mr Locke told Dallas News that he wants an apology from Garland police department because the officers conducted a search on his property without consulting him. His brother Christopher does not live at the home.

The police department refused to comment on the matter but said that internal affairs was investigating.

On February 5 this year, shortly after midday, two police officers are seen on the home's surveillance camera approaching the property.



After ringing the doorbell and not getting an answer, an officer goes to bags sitting in the drive way and goes through them, pulling out some papers from inside to read.

At the rear of the house, the second officer peers in through a window before spotting the surveillance camera trained on the back door and turns it to face the wall.



Spotted! The second officer goes to the back of the property for a look and sees the security camera

Concealed: A blurred, close-up of the police officer's fingers showing him turning the surveillance camera the other way

A short time later, the first police man tries the front door - and opens it but doesn't go in. He then opens the door of a vehicle parked in the driveway and examines papers inside.

A short time later, Mrs Locke returns home where she obliges the police officers requests by allowing them to look around her home.



The officers' action potentially violated the couple's Fourth Amendment rights - which prevent unjust searches and seizures without probably cause in the U.S.



The Lockes have since decided to move away from the neighborhood after having spent two decades living on the street.

Christopher Locke was later arrested and is out on bond.



Chancy: The officer opens to door to the home despite not being invited in to the search the property which was empty at the time