The Witness Who Wants to Leave
You are a security officer at a distribution warehouse. At 14:20 a forklift operator reports that a pallet of electronics (12 units, ~$8,400) is missing from Bay 4. You review CCTV and see a temp worker, age 22, wheel a pallet out the side door at 13:47 and hand it to someone in a white van. You approach the temp worker in the break room. He admits 'I took it, I'm sorry,' then says, 'I have to go, my ride is here,' and starts walking toward the employee exit. He has not been physically detained. The side door is 40 feet away and opens to the lot. Your supervisor is on lunch and unreachable for 20 minutes. Police are not yet called.
1. Can you prevent him from leaving? What are the risks of each choice?
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This is a detention authority question, not just a security question.
Options and risks:
- Physically block or grab him: Risks battery, false imprisonment, and assault claims if the detention is not lawful or is unreasonable. A private citizen may generally detain for a reasonable time on probable cause of a crime, but the manner must be reasonable and brief.
- Let him leave while calling police with a description: Lower liability, but evidence and the suspect may be lost.
- Verbal request to stay: He has no obligation to comply, but asking is lawful and low-risk.
Recommended: Do not tackle or grab. State clearly that police are being called and ask him to wait; if he leaves, note the direction, vehicle, and plate, and call police immediately. Preserve CCTV before it overwrites. Notify the supervisor in writing.
If he stays voluntarily, keep him in an open, visible area, do not search him, and wait for police.
2. What evidence must you preserve, and how do you document the admission?
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Preserve:
- The CCTV clip of 13:47 (export with hash or timestamp, do not edit).
- The side door access log and any badge reader records.
- The pallet location and inventory records for the 12 units.
- Any physical items he touched or left behind, with chain-of-custody.
Document the admission:
- Quote his exact words: 'I took it, I'm sorry.'
- Note time, location, who else was present, and that no threats or promises were made.
- Do not paraphrase into a confession; do not ask him to sign anything under pressure.
Report:
- Factual narrative, times, persons, and the vehicle description.
- That you did not physically detain him and why.
- That police were called at [time].
Keep the original footage and a copy; log who accessed it.