Opinion ID: 309435
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the seizure of the stolen tin

Text: 3 All four appellants contend that the FBI's seizure of the stolen tin was improper because the affidavit supporting the search warrant was legally insufficient. The warrant in question met the standards set out by the Supreme Court in Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 114, 84 S.Ct. 1509, 12 L.Ed.2d 723 (1964) and Spinelli v. United States, 393 U.S. 410, 89 S.Ct. 584, 21 L.Ed.2d 637 (1968). Aguilar set up a two-pronged test to determine the sufficiency of a warrant which is based on tips from a confidential informer: (1) the warrant must show that the informer is credible, and (2) some of the underlying circumstances giving rise to the informer's conclusions must be present. In this case, the warrant alleged that the informer relied upon had previously disclosed information leading to at least five convictions; and FBI surveillance provided sufficient corroboration for the informer's conclusions. See Spinelli v. United States, supra at 417-418, 84 S.Ct. 1509. United States ex rel. Henderson v. Mazurkiewicz, 443 F.2d 1135 (3d Cir. 1971); United States v. Singleton, 439 F.2d 381 (3d Cir. 1971); United States ex rel. Kislin v. State of New Jersey, 429 F.2d 950 (3d Cir. 1970). Only a probability of criminal activity is necessary for there to be probable cause, see, e.g., Spinelli v. United States, supra, 393 U.S. at 419, 84 S.Ct. 1509, and here the affidavit for the search warrant showed such a probability.