What to do for Prosecution
1. Obtain identification from the person, i.e. Michigan driver’s license or Michigan I.D. card.
2. If they do not have identification, call Central Dispatch for a police officer to identify the subject or take him/her to jail. If the subject(s) is taken to jail you must get the warrant the next day.
3. If suspect is a juvenile (under 17 years of age) and you do not have in-house security, call Central Dispatch. If you have do have security in the store they can handle the matter and seek the juvenile petition.
4. Take the item(s) the subject had taken and place them into a secure area.
5. Copy down all of the subject(s) information. The information should include name, date of birth, address, and driver’s license number.
6. Have the subject(s) sign a criminal trespass warning form. This advises the subject(s) that they are not allowed in your store again.
If they do come back into the store you will seek a warrant for them for criminal trespass. A copy of the trespass form is attached.
7. You then can release the subject(s). After they are released write a report of what occurred. This should include what they took, the price of the merchandise, how they concealed the merchandise, and where you stopped them.
8. Call the prosecutor’s office for an appointment to see a prosecutor. The number for the prosecutor’s office is 790-5330. The prosecutor’s office is located on the second floor of the courthouse.
9. When you go down to see the prosecutor you should have the following paper work, your report and a confidential. (Warrant request form) A copy of the confidential is attached.
10. Once the warrant is typed, the warrant needs to be taken to the third floor. If the charge is Retail Fraud 3rd degree you need to take warrant to the Criminal Division and sign the warrant there. If the warrant charge is Retail 2nd or 1st degree you sign the warrant in front of the judge on duty. After signing the warrant you take the warrant to the Criminal Division.
11. If you have any questions please contact Detective Sgt. Martin Larsen of the Saginaw Township Police Crime Prevention Unit. The number is 791-7226.
Sample Report
On March 5, 2000 I was working in the automotive section at Frank’s Department store in Saginaw Township. At approximately 1700 hours, I observed a W/M in the automotive section of the store. The subject placed three cans of oil and an oil filter in a bag and started to walk towards the exit of the store. He passed three cash registers, not attempting to pay for the items. When he was near the exit of the store, I identified myself as a store employee to the subject, and told him that he had some of the store’s merchandise on him. I then requested him to go the store office so we could take of this matter. I then took the bag that had the merchandise in it and escorted him back to the store. Once at the office I requested some identification from him, and he presented me with a Michigan driver’s license. The name was John Smith, W/M…Date of Birth 9/9/81. Mr. Smith lives at 8989 Pleasant St. in the Township of Saginaw. The stolen items were secured in the store office for court and the total price of the merchandise was $16.56.