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A city police officer, accompanied by a private security guard, observes a man snatch a wallet from a pedestrian in a crowded urban plaza. The suspect attempts to flee and is pursued into a nearby cafe, where the officer and the guard arrest him inside the premises without a warrant. There is no immediate danger to life or limb. The suspect resists briefly but is subdued and brought to the police station for custodial interrogation. He later moves to suppress his statements and any physical or documentary evidence obtained as a result of the arrest.
(a) Identify the controlling rule on warrantless arrests and apply it to these facts; is the arrest lawful without a warrant?
(b) If the arrest is unlawful, discuss the admissibility of the suspect’s statements and any physical or documentary evidence obtained as a result of the arrest.
(c) Discuss ethical considerations raised by the involvement of a private security guard and the manner of the arrest.