After a bank robbery, you spot the suspect vehicle and stop it. Under the usual rule, you may search the entire vehicle because:

• A. The instrumentality may be anywhere in the vehicle
• B. Only the driver's area can be searched
• C. You need a warrant
• D. The suspect admitted to the crime

Answer: (A)

When a vehicle is stopped with probable cause to believe evidence or the instrumentality of a crime is inside, you can search the whole car without a warrant. The reason is that a vehicle is mobile and the instrumentality could be hidden anywhere in the interior or compartments, so the entire vehicle may be searched to locate it. In a bank robbery scenario, the instrumentality could be anywhere—from the seats to the trunk—so the full interior search is permissible to find it. The other options don’t fit because the search isn’t limited to the driver’s area, a warrant isn’t always required with probable cause for a vehicle search, and an admission alone doesn’t automatically justify a broad vehicle search.