Britain's National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) has announced the launch of a standardised witness statement designed to expedite retail crime investigations.
Developed in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and local police forces, the statement aims to streamline the process of submitting CCTV [closed circuit television] evidence through digital evidence management systems (DEMS).
Traditionally, retailers have faced challenges when providing CCTV footage to the police, often dealing with inconsistent requirements across different jurisdictions.
A standardised witness statement addresses this issue by providing a clear and comprehensive template that ensures all necessary information is captured.
This, in turn, enables law enforcement agencies to process the evidence more efficiently and build stronger cases.
"While many retailers can upload CCTV onto DEMS, various statement formats were being used by police forces. Workshops with retailers highlighted the need for a consistent statement format to assist both retailers and the police," said Superintendent Patrick Holdaway, NBCC lead, in a statement.
“The challenge was to create a statement acceptable to all police forces. By identifying best practices, the NBCC worked with the CPS and police forces to develop a standard version that meets CPS requirements.”
The standardised witness statement aligns with the recommendations outlined in the Retail Crime Action Plan, which highlights the efficiency and security of using DEMS for sharing digital evidence.
By ensuring that CCTV footage is submitted promptly and in a consistent format, retailers can contribute to faster investigations and more effective crime prevention strategies.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, praised the NBCC's efforts:
"We have been asking for some time for extra guidance and clarity on how businesses can best use CCTV images when reporting crimes. Shop theft continues to be a problem and more businesses have invested in CCTV to protect their employees and their stock. We welcome this initiative and urge all retailers to use it when reporting crimes so that the perpetrators are prosecuted."
The NBCC encourages all retailers to adopt the standardised witness statement when reporting retail crimes.
By streamlining the process of submitting CCTV evidence, retailers can play a vital role in combating crime and protecting their businesses.
