Thefts can vary from minor household thefts to serious thefts, and the value of the stolen property can exceed millions of rubles.
If, after all, you have become a victim of a crime such as theft, you should never despair .
There is a clear algorithm of actions that must be followed if such a misfortune happens to you.
We will clearly describe in this article how to behave correctly in a situation resulting from theft.
What to do if yours is stolen?
So, you have discovered the loss .
It doesn't matter where this event happened.
Perhaps the theft happened in your apartment while you were away.
It is also likely that your wallet or other property of yours was taken out of your pocket while you were standing in line at a store or riding on public transport.
The first thing you should do is not panic.
Unfortunately, many victims begin to worry, start searching and thereby miss valuable time when the criminal has not yet sold the stolen items.
You need to clearly remember that you did not lose the item, but that it was stolen from you.
It's good if there is evidence of theft.
For example, this is a broken lock, a cut pocket, or so on.
If there are no visible signs of theft, but the item is missing, try to remember , perhaps you left the item somewhere or you lost it.
If there was no loss, then try to guess where the theft most likely occurred.
Perhaps someone was standing too close to you, or you felt some movement in your pockets or bag, or you saw some traces from your apartment where the theft occurred.
If any evidence is found, do not touch it with your hands .
If there is no evidence, but you remember where the theft could have occurred, this is an excellent clue for the police.
Now you must come to the police station in the area in which the theft occurred and write a statement .
They will tell you how to correctly compose this document.
When describing the events that happened to you, try to be as focused as possible and not write too emotionally.
How do pickpockets work?
Pickpockets use a lot of tricks to distract the victim's attention. Many of these tricks rely on the effect of surprise (an unexpected encounter, a question or request for help, a push, etc.). Often, one of the intruders distracts attention while his accomplice steals an item or goes through his pockets.
You should be especially careful in public transport, at train stations and in other crowded places where pickpockets act as follows: they press close to the victim, closer and closer (usually to the back). The person moves away, as a result of which, as a rule, he becomes sideways to the attacker, giving him better access to his bag or pocket.
Proof
In order to prove theft , you need to know what was stolen.
If you are the victim of a theft, then depending on what you lost, you can draw up a line of evidence.
Money
How to prove the theft of money?
Cash theft is one of the most common.
They can be pulled out of your pocket, out of your bag, or stolen right with your wallet while you are distracted by something.
There can be many variations of theft.
In order to prove the fact of theft of money, it is necessary to remember exactly which bills were stolen, namely the denomination .
Also, you need to remember where you were at the time of the theft, analyze where the crime against you most likely could have occurred.
Evidence of the theft of money may include witness statements, as well as CCTV footage.
Very often, such thefts occur at store checkouts.
Today, there are video cameras in front of the cash registers that record events taking place at the cash register.
Money in the apartment
How to prove the theft of money in an apartment ?
The theft of money from an apartment is theft, which has such a qualifying circumstance as penetration into the apartment, that is, into the living space.
Agree, the circumstance is not the most pleasant.
How to prove that money was stolen from home?
The fact that money was stolen from an apartment can be evidenced by numerous evidence left behind by the criminals.
So, for example, someone else close to you should know that there was money in the apartment, who could confirm this fact in court.
You should also roughly remember the amount and bills you keep at home.
Also, you must point out the evidence left at the crime scene.
Perhaps this is breaking the door with a master key or simply deforming it.
Perhaps the criminals climbed in through the windows .
One way or another, this set of evidence must be preserved in its original form, so if you discover theft, try not to touch anything.
Property
How to prove theft of property ?
If any property was stolen from you, you must describe it in detail.
Perhaps you know some individual characteristics of the stolen property, so it will be easier for the police to identify the stolen property .
You should also describe the approximate circumstances that preceded the theft.
If there are no witnesses
How to prove theft if there are no witnesses ?
If none of the witnesses can confirm the fact that a theft was actually committed against you, do not despair.
There may be other evidence that will directly prove the theft.
So, for example, if there were surveillance cameras near the place where the theft was committed, then you can try to find evidence on the film.
So, more than once, such surveillance cameras helped identify the criminal who committed theft.
Even if there were no witnesses nearby.
Your clear testimony will be good evidence of theft .
Cancel your credit and debit cards
photo: unsplash / Emil Kalibradov
If you lose your debit or credit card, know that the consequences can be completely different. It will be worse if you lose your wallet with a credit card. If lost, it is important to take immediate action quickly. The faster the better.
1. Call or come to the bank in person;
2. Block the card through mobile banking (usually the steps are as follows):
Log in to mobile banking through the mobile application;
Open the card management section;
Find the blocking option;
Block the card;
Confirm the action via SMS message.
If there was a credit card in your wallet and you notice the wallet is missing, immediately block the credit card - even if the wallet is found, this can protect you from serious financial expenses.
What could be the evidence?
Evidence of theft can be various kinds of traces left by criminals.
These could be shoe marks on the carpets, traces of other types of penetration, and also, if the theft was committed on the street or in public transport, it is quite possible that the criminal’s hair was left on you.
Also, the criminal may be noticed by other people who will witness such a crime.
Hidden camera
A hidden camera can help in cases such as proof of theft.
Hidden cameras are installed in stores, in front of entrances, on some streets and even in cars.
This is why cameras are always good evidence these days.
Typically, the camera contains all the necessary evidence.
Police officers may also ask citizens to provide dashcam footage.
Watch the video of how a hidden camera helped expose criminals:
https://youtu.be/WUjK9jrFWz8
Other
Damaged items
may be evidence .
So, these can be cut bags, pockets, and so on.
But also, evidence can include the crime weapons that the criminal left at the scene in a hurry.
These could be knives, blades, hooks and other devices that served as assistants for committing theft .
The suspect's fingerprints may also remain on such devices.
Tips for those who find a wallet
If you find someone else's wallet or other ownerless (lost or previously stolen) property in a public place, you need to take the find to the nearest police department.
There you must register the item as a find. If you keep the thing for yourself and do not take any actions aimed at finding the rightful owner, then your actions may be regarded as appropriation of someone else's property , that is, its theft.
Attention! The fact that the appropriation of a find is equated to the theft of property is already a legal fact. This circumstance was confirmed by the RF Armed Forces in the summer of 2022.
Where to go?
Where to go and what to do if a theft occurs and your things are stolen ?
If a theft occurs, immediately contact the nearest police station; also, if the theft occurs in a store, you can contact a security and safety officer.
He can try to detain the criminal if he is in the store.
The theft must be reported immediately.
The fact is that in the first hours after a crime, the greatest percentage is that the criminal can be detained and subsequently be punished.
Procedure for the injured party
Money can be stolen in different ways: secretly, openly, using violence, through deception or abuse of trust, etc. But the most common option is to steal a bag or wallet right away.
It is worth knowing what to do if money is stolen. Where to apply and with what procedural documents.
If you discover that your bag/wallet is missing, first make sure that you haven’t left it anywhere (forgot it) or dropped it carelessly. If such moments are excluded, then you definitely need to contact the police department closest to your location at the time of the loss of your wallet (bag).
There you can make a written statement and indicate in detail:
- where exactly and under what circumstances did your wallet/bag disappear,
- what exactly they looked like (shape, color, material of manufacture, special features (for example, abrasions, inscriptions, places of repair));
- what was inside (documents - which ones, money in what amount with an approximate or detailed description of the bills, their denominations, other personal belongings);
- the total actual cost of everything stolen, with a detailed breakdown possible;
- whether the damage to you is significant or not;
- if the wallet/bag was stolen openly, then it is necessary to describe in detail the robber (approximate height, clothing, build, special features, if any - tattoos, scars, large or unusual birthmarks, burns and other marks), and also indicate in which direction he fled, whether he was alone or with accomplices, whether he ran away or got into a car and drove away, whether you had ever seen him before or not.
Attention!
If documents were stolen along with a bag/wallet, but the criminal initially did not know that they were there, then there will be no intent to steal the documentation. In this situation, this is considered as a factor accompanying the committed criminal act. This means that there is no need to insist that law enforcement officers also initiate a criminal case regarding the theft of documents from you. Composition of Art. 325 of the Criminal Code is missing here.
To restore documents, you simply need to make a copy of your accepted application (with an acceptance slip) and submit applications to the appropriate authorities to issue you duplicates or re-register due to loss. Under such circumstances, you will not be held administratively liable for careless handling of your passport.
Download for viewing and printing:
Criminal Code of the Russian Federation dated June 13, 1996 No. 63-FZ
What to do if you are accused of theft?
If you are accused of theft, then try to find out on what basis you were accused of this act.
If this is an accusation of theft without evidence, then it will be easier for you to defend yourself.
You must be provided with facts that should become irrefutable evidence of your guilt.
That is why you should first make sure that you really did not commit theft.
Read the full article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Theft.
Precautionary measures
Unfortunately, such thefts are investigated and solved extremely poorly. Therefore, you need to protect yourself from such thefts. First of all, you need to carry your wallet out of the reach of criminals (pickpockets). Put them in the back compartment of your backpack, briefcase, in the inner pocket of your jacket or coat, in the depths of your bag (away from the back wall of the bag).
Also, in order for your wallet to be returned to the citizens who found it, put a small piece of paper in the wallet with the text: “call the finder of the wallet” indicating your phone number or email for contact.
Try, if possible, to keep funds in a bank account and use mainly bank cards, carry a small amount of cash in your wallet (no more than 5,000 - 10,000 rubles). Do not carry important documents, driver's licenses, or unused bank cards in your wallet.
Try not to leave your belongings, including your bag or wallet, unattended.
Important!
Write down the last four digits of your bank card number and the bank's phone number in the notes on your mobile phone to quickly block your bank card if necessary.
