>A person or persons entered the building under cover of darkness and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
Why this stiff phrasing?
I am going to surmise here. Part of it is the pseudointellectual bent, people trying to sound smarter than they are. And cops are pretty well known for doing stuff like this. I saw a police report about an auto accident in which the cop reported that the victim's foot was decapitated.
Anyway, there may be a legal reason for saying person or persons unknown. If I report that a person entered a building and stole something and later I arrest two people, the defense attorney may try to argue that I've charged too many people.
Similarly, if I report that two people pulled off a burglary and later arrest only one, the defense may similarly try to put doubt in the jury's mind.
Again, this is surmise on my part.
TEd
