The camera flags an item being hidden, and your staff decide if it was theft
This is how Socioculus will work, in five steps from the first clip to an alert at another business. Software makes only two choices: which clips to flag, and which faces may match the list, at the door or in a new report. A person makes every choice after that.
Hidden-item alerts watch your CCTV for an item going into a bag, a pocket or a coat, and send a short clip to your staff. This step does not recognise faces or know who anyone is.
Clips are short and arrive in the Socioculus app. In the pilot we will count how many clips a business like yours gets, and publish the number before you commit.Drawn example. Software flags a clip: on a street of five member businesses, the corner shop's aisle camera flags a movement and sends a short clip to the staff phone.
Drawn example
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
New clip to check
Software flagged a movement. It does not know who this is.
You watch the clip and decide
A hidden item is not a theft until the person leaves without paying. If nothing is wrong, dismiss the clip. If you saw a theft, report it. Socioculus never reports anyone for you.
A clip you dismiss is deleted at once. A clip that nobody looks at is deleted after 24 hours. Nothing else happens.Drawn example. Your staff decide: the corner shop's phone shows the clip and two choices. Nothing wrong: dismiss the clip. I saw a theft: report it.
Drawn example
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Nothing wrong. Dismiss the clipI saw a theft. Report it
Nothing is reported unless you choose to.
You report what you saw
Confirm that you saw the person leave without paying, in person or on the exit camera, and attach that clip. Say what was taken and what it was worth. Socioculus makes a face code from the clip and puts the person on your business's list. Your door then alerts you if they come back, and Socioculus checks new reports from other members against yours.
One report alerts only your own door.Drawn example. Your staff report it: the report is sent, and only the corner shop's own door will alert if this person comes back.
Drawn example
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Your report
I saw them leave without paying
Exit camera clipAttached, 16:02
What was takenGroceries, £38.50
Who gets alertsYour door only
If this person comes back, your door alerts you.
A second business reports the same person
When another member reports someone who may match your report, a trained Socioculus person compares the pictures in the two reports. If they confirm it is the same person, members nearby get alerts too. If they are not sure, the reports stay apart.
No single business can put someone on the street's list.Drawn example with made-up figures. A Socioculus person checks: two reports go to a trained Socioculus person, the corner shop's from 14 August (groceries, 38 pounds 50) and the pharmacy's from 29 August (toiletries, 64 pounds 10). They compare the pictures and confirm it is the same person. Every member door on the street is now linked.
Drawn example
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Update on your report
Your report, 14 AugA business nearby reported the same person
A trained Socioculus person compared the pictures in the two reports. Same person.
Members nearby now get alerts too. If Socioculus is not sure, the two reports stay apart.
The person comes to another member's door
The camera at a member's door will scan each face and check it against the list. If it finds a possible match, staff get the picture from the report and what was reported. Every other scan is deleted at once.
An alert tells staff what was reported. It does not prove anything. Staff record what they decided, so false alerts can be counted.Drawn example. Software checks each face at the pub's front door: two do not match and are deleted, one is a possible match. Pub staff decide: the pub's phone says possible match, check first.
Drawn example
Pub phoneDrawn example
Front door, just nowPossible match. Check first.
Picture from the report
What was reported2 thefts at businesses nearby, last 29 Aug
Never accuse, search or stop anyone because of an alert alone.
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
New clip to check
Software flagged a movement. It does not know who this is.
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Nothing wrong. Dismiss the clipI saw a theft. Report it
Nothing is reported unless you choose to.
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Your report
I saw them leave without paying
Exit camera clipAttached, 16:02
What was takenGroceries, £38.50
Who gets alertsYour door only
If this person comes back, your door alerts you.
Corner shop phoneDrawn example
Update on your report
Your report, 14 AugA business nearby reported the same person
A trained Socioculus person compared the pictures in the two reports. Same person.
Members nearby now get alerts too. If Socioculus is not sure, the two reports stay apart.
Pub phoneDrawn example
Front door, just nowPossible match. Check first.
Picture from the report
What was reported2 thefts at businesses nearby, last 29 Aug
Never accuse, search or stop anyone because of an alert alone.
Drawn example
An alert is never a reason to accuse, search or stop anyone
Your staff compare the picture with the person in front of them, and stay polite. If they are not sure, they do nothing.
If they are sure it is the same person, they can keep an eye on them, or refuse service as you can today. Call the police if a crime happens. The staff guide will give the words to use.
What every report needs
Once Socioculus is running, the person who saw the theft makes the report, and the business is responsible for it. Socioculus does not judge whether a theft happened. It checks that every report is complete. Before members nearby get alerts, a trained Socioculus person confirms that two reports show the same person.
Pick the clip
Choose the moment from your own CCTV recording of the theft. Socioculus takes the face from that clip only.
Say what happened
What was taken, what it was worth, and when.
Confirm what you saw
A short signed statement in your own words, from the person who saw it.
Socioculus checks the report is complete
It checks that the clip, the statement and the value are there, and that the person who reports has done the training. Incomplete reports do not count.
Our rules for reports
We accept
A theft seen by staff and caught on CCTV
The person leaving without paying, seen in person or on the exit camera
Clear footage of the person's face
A signed statement from the person who saw it
We refuse
A hidden-item clip on its own
A hunch, a look or a rumour
Anyone who is or may be under 18
Anyone who appears vulnerable
Arguments, rudeness or any reason that is not a crime
One reported theft alerts only your own business's door, until its time limit runs out. Other members nearby get alerts only after a second business reports a theft by the same person. A trained Socioculus person must then compare the pictures in the two reports and confirm that they show the same person. If they are not sure, the reports stay apart.
What the reported person can see: the picture and what was reported. We do not give out the name of the member of staff who reported, unless they agree or the law requires it.