If at a given moment something has not been explained, suspicion is justified and pause must be made where the logical sequence is broken, for the purpose of examining if there is no better way of explaining the fact. If one is found the rest of the inquiry is easy. Ltd. False Reports - Red Flags by Det.
Laws surrounding false reports vary.
Falsely reporting an incident in the third degree is a class B misdemeanor. The above penal law code requires intent. If the investigating detective does not have a confession from the false reporter or overwhelming physical evidence, such as a surveillance video, then that detective should not classify the case as a false report. However, the detective does not elicit a confession, and has no overwhelming physical evidence. He acts on his feelings, classifies the case as a false report and does not conduct a thorough investigation to further establish the facts of the case.