Suppose someone left non-perishable food items on their driveway for easy access while going for a bike ride. (And/or for the purposes of a sting operation.) To any bystander, however, it would be impossible to tell whether they were being retrieved by someone with actual permission to retrieve them.
It might even be unclear to the person taking them.
And in turn, it would be impossible to tell whether someone snatched off the street for snatching said food items was innocent or guilty.
In such a circumstance, would it be lawful for some other cyclist; be it food owner or bystander; to drag that person downhill to the police station, with the bicycle's handlebars in one hand, and the suspect in the other? Would it be lawful for some other bystander who mistakes this dragging-downhill for a kidnapping attempt in progress to shoot the cyclist then and there?
Me, I'd go for the "if you don't know, don't touch it" angle, as you don't know if the food is poisoned anyway. Likewise, I would report an apparent kidnapper rather than just shooting him on sight, as you never know their intentions. Judging by the nature of the gun debate, I doubt I speak for popular opinion on the latter, though.
