Report Shoplifting

The following procedure will be followed for shoplifting incidents where the value of the stolen property is $50.00 or less and the detained suspect is cooperative with store employee(s). For losses that exceed $50.00 in listed value, any case involving a juvenile suspect, or cases where suspect(s) assault store employees, normal arrest and transport procedures will apply.

  1. Prior to the arrival of law enforcement the witness employee(s) should complete the shoplifting report form and have the signed original ready for the responding officer. The store should also retain a copy. The form can be completed online and printed (preferred) or printed first and completed by hand.
  2. The responding officer must be provided a copy of a receipt listing the stolen item(s) and corresponding value(s) showing a total retail price of $50.00 or less.
  3. The store employee/witness will be responsible for maintaining any video evidence pertaining to the case and be able to provide same for court use.
  4. An authorized store employee must inform the officer whether or not the suspect is to be issued a trespass warning for the business and/or associated businesses.
  5. Once the officer verifies the suspect’s ID and that he/she has no warrants, appropriate summonses will be issued and the suspect will be released.
  6. The Shoplifting Report Form, store receipt, and the summons will constitute the entire police report. The store employee/witness will be responsible for court testimony and evidence in any subsequent legal proceedings.
  7. In rare instances, to be determined by the responding officer, the suspect may be transported to CPD and processed as normal in which case conventional report completion and evidence processing will be handled by the officer.