Police do this everywhere. If they want to pull you over they do, say you had a broken tail light then pop it with their nightstick to make sure. If they arrest you, say goodbye to any cash you have on you and your watch if it’s a good one. Those items never make it on the inventory of your belongings.
I know. My wife lost a diamond ring to one cop and I have left good chunks of money in various small Georgia and Carolina towns........
Someone's been watching too many Patrick Swayze movies. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but you really can's make the blanket statement everywhere.