the police thought he had committed a crime vs the police thought he committed a crime

Both phrases are correct and can be used interchangeably. They convey the same meaning that the police believed he had committed a crime. The choice between 'had committed' and 'committed' does not significantly alter the meaning in this context.

Last updated: March 27, 2024 • 962 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"the police thought he had committed a crime"

This phrase is used to indicate that the police believed at a past point in time that he had committed a crime.

Show examples from the web [+]

The Swedish authorities refused to do so because it could not be proven that he had committed a crime.
Pretty close to admitting he had committed a murder.
I have been made aware that a company called European Municipality Outsourcing have issued a fine to a UK citizen eight months after claiming that he had committed a driving offence in Italy.
The week before, a 20-year-old man was hanged for a crime he had committed at the age of 15.
And it's not as if he had committed a capital offence!
Lawyers assert that D'Arcangeli was not arrested because he had committed a genuine offence, but simply for disseminating political ideas and the programme of the (new) Italian Communist Party, which has never been declared an illegal party in France.
The police thought he'd found them and vanished with them.
That same week, in Catania, the trial of Mariannina Terranova was starting, who had committed a crime of passion.
As many as 70 % of respondents considered that legal immigrants who had committed a crime should be repatriated.
And then we found out that he had committed suicide.
And we were together when we found out he had committed suicide.
He confessed that he had committed the crime.
He admitted that he had committed the crime.
The police thought he ran away, but Dr. Gaskell found blood on the carpet.
The police thought he fell into the river -
And I couldn't tell you, Because I knew I had committed a crime, And I would have been kicked out.
Furthermore, he confessed that he had committed the crime after having received a "divine revelation".
There, where he had committed this brutal murder.
One of his first actions was to summon his former schoolmaster and demand an explanation for the injustice he had committed.
One of the first measures he took was to send for his childhood master and demand an explanation for the injustice he had committed.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"the police thought he committed a crime"

This phrase is used to indicate that the police believed he committed a crime without specifying a particular time frame.

Show examples from the web [+]

He committed a crime for which he must be held accountable.
Even if he committed a crime it will be people of Yuan who investigate and punish him, not Goryeo.
- He committed a crime, Kate.
That he committed a crime of passion.
The police thought he'd found them and vanished with them.
Because he committed a crime, And I didn't want him to do it again.
He committed a crime for me.
The police thought he ran away, but Dr. Gaskell found blood on the carpet.
The police thought he fell into the river -
If it were to emerge that he has committed a crime, the police must arrest him.
'Having successfully committed a crime without a single witness...' why would he call the police and consult a detective?
'Having successfully committed a crime without a single witness...' why would he call the police and consult a detective?
Jules: We think he committed a serious crime this morning.
In fact, he committed a break-in just to prove it.
Dog: He committed a sin, without leaving the garage.
Susan, he committed a felony.
He Committed A Class "C" Felony.
Of course, the police thought I was crazy.
The police thought my boyfriend and I had something to do with her disappearance.
The police thought that was Jonathan Bloom.

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the police thought he had committed a crime vs the police thought he committed a crime