In every case there has to be something substantial for the police officer to conduct a search or stop on a suspect. This is a called reasonable suspicion and probable cause.
There are cases where the officer receives information, or sees something suspicious and acts on his instincts and searches the suspect, or searches the car, house, etc. So if you have a probable cause or reasonable suspicions cases you should explore with your Bucks County criminal attorney on why there was probable cause to why you were searched.
A case showing these two actions (and highlighting their differences) is Commonwealth v. Thompson. This case is a classic example of probable cause, and it was executed to a tee. A police officer was tipped off from citizens that suspected drug activity was going on around a specific convenience store. While keeping surveillance of the store, the officer noticed Thompson signal to another driver, and they both left the lot together in their separate cars. The officer followed the cars to a nearby parking lot, and witnessed Thompson get in the other car and received cash from the passenger. Thompson then took the cash, went to a hiding place near a fence in the lot, and tosses a plastic baggie into the other car.
After witnessing this entire ordeal the office had “probable cause” to arrest Thompson on drug related charges stemming from the suspected drug transaction. The officer also had “reasonable suspicion” to follow Thompson to the parking lot because of the reported drug activity, and Thompson’s motion to the other driver. Because of the officer’s observations he found a plastic baggie containing over 100 prescription pills, and it was reasonable to believe that it was the same bag Thompson gave the passenger moments ago. The case cite is Commonwealth v. Thompson 93 A.3d 478 (Pa Super. 2014).