A state House committee looking at repealing or reforming Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law appeared to find a general consensus among law enforcement officials, prosecutors and the criminal defense bar Thursday that the seldom-used provision may not be worth the trouble it poses.

Witnesses agreed that shopkeepers have a right to detain suspected thieves and that homeowners or citizens who encounter someone rummaging through their cars have and should keep the ability to defend themselves and hold suspected lawbreakers until law enforcement can be summoned.