For non-urgent shop theft (where the incident has already occurred), the following information explains what details to provide when making your report.
If the incident has already occurred and is not an emergency, you can report the crime in person at your local police station or by contacting the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
Staff should report the theft to police as soon as possible by calling the non-emergency line: 131 444. If you can, be ready to provide details of names and contact details of witnesses. If you have CCTV vision of the incident, tell police when making the report. Keep vision for 31 days if possible.
Staff reporting the shop theft must be sure of the goods being taken, that the person failed to pay for the goods and they passed the last point of payment.
Provide police with as much relevant information as possible about the incident and the individuals involved. Provide the offender’s last known direction of travel and any available vehicle details. Staff who witnessed the offence must be sure that the person has placed or concealed the goods and that the person failed to pay for the goods.
Provide information on the physical appearance of the person responsible for the crime, including their clothing and last known direction of travel.
Make a mental note of the offender including their height, build, distinguishing features, hair colour, build, tattoos, scars, accent and manner of speech. Note what clothing and shoes the offender is wearing, including any visible brands or logos.
Providing police with information on the make, model, serial numbers (if known) and the monetary value when making a report.
Provide details on the goods stolen such as name of the goods, brand and any serial numbers if known. Provide a receipt for the goods to show monetary value. Advise if there any electronic or dye tags on the goods.
If there is CCTV recording of the incident or witnesses, tell police when you make the report. Make sure the CCTV footage is saved to prevent it from being lost.
If possible, be prepared to tell police what evidence you have available when you make the report. Save any CCTV footage and photographs of the incident. Ensure CCTV footage includes the person inside the store and when they exit. If an AXON link is provided, upload CCTV footage to the link including any video players. AXON is a drop box or file hosting service for police who will email you a link to enable you to upload your CCTV recording. If your business is subscribed to AUROR (the retail crime intelligence platform), you may upload any available recordings and other evidence to the relevant incident number via AUROR. If copied to USB/disc, make sure staff know where it is for police to collect.