AI Video Search for Retail Theft Investigations

How Flock FreeForm Helps Retail Security and Law Enforcement Use AI Video Search to Respond Faster to Theft

Retail theft investigations rarely begin with complete information.

Sometimes investigators only have:

• a witness description
• an unusual vehicle detail
• or a partial view from a parking lot camera

The challenge is not whether evidence exists. It’s finding the right footage quickly enough for retail security teams and law enforcement to coordinate while the information is still useful. That’s where Flock FreeForm helps.

FreeForm gives retail security teams and investigators a faster way to search video and license plate reader camera evidence using natural-language descriptions instead of relying only on rigid filters or manual footage review.

The result: faster evidence review, quicker coordination, and more informed response decisions across teams.

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What Is Flock FreeForm?

Flock FreeForm is a natural-language search tool built for retail security teams and the law enforcement agencies they work with. Instead of sorting through footage manually or relying on rigid filters, teams can search video and license plate reader (LPR) evidence together using plain-language descriptions pulled straight from witness reports or call details like "white van with cow print paint" or "black SUV near the loading dock."

FreeForm surfaces relevant visual matches across enabled video feeds and LPR systems for teams to review, helping organizations move from a partial description to relevant evidence before the trail goes cold.

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Why Traditional Video Search Workflows Slow Theft Investigations Down

Retail theft investigations often move quickly. Delays can make it harder to identify a suspect vehicle, locate relevant footage, and coordinate a timely response across locations. But traditional video review workflows can create delays when:

• witness descriptions are incomplete
• multiple systems need to be searched separately
• teams manually review large volumes of footage
• investigators must coordinate across retailers, parking lots, and responding agencies

As camera coverage expands across stores, shopping centers, and surrounding businesses, the operational challenge often becomes finding relevant evidence quickly enough to respond. FreeForm helps reduce that friction by giving retail security teams and law enforcement a more flexible and connected way to search.

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See What Coordinated Response Looks Like

At 12:03 p.m., a theft was reported at a Levi’s outlet. The caller described the suspect vehicle as:

“a white van that looked like a cow.”

Using FreeForm, investigators searched terms like:

• "Cow Print"
• "Crazy Van"

Within minutes, the system surfaced a likely visual match: a white van with blue and black cow-print spray paint.

By 12:06 p.m., a hot list alert had been created for agency review, and law enforcement used a drone, consistent with agency policy, to provide aerial situational awareness.

At 12:10 p.m., the drone located the vehicle parked nearby and provided aerial situational awareness while retail security and law enforcement coordinated response.

According to the reported incident timeline, the response was coordinated by 12:26 p.m.

From report to coordinated response: under 25 minutes.

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FreeForm helps retail security teams and law enforcement move from unusual details to coordinated response faster using natural-language search across video and LPR systems.

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How FreeForm Helps Retail Security and Law Enforcement Work Together

Retail theft investigations often involve multiple teams working across disconnected systems and timelines. FreeForm helps retail security teams and law enforcement coordinate around the same information more quickly by bringing:

• video evidence
• vehicle data
• alerts
• investigative workflow

into one connected experience.That can help teams:

• surface relevant evidence faster
• coordinate response earlier,
• reduce manual review time
• improve visibility across stores, parking lots, and surrounding businesses

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‍Search Using Natural Language

Retail investigations often begin with incomplete or unusual descriptions. FreeForm allows investigators to search using the kinds of language witnesses naturally use during calls or reports. Instead of forcing details into rigid categories, teams can start with what they know and narrow results from there. That can help surface relevant evidence faster during time-sensitive investigations.

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Search Video and LPR Evidence Together

FreeForm brings video and LPR evidence into one workflow. Instead of switching between disconnected systems, teams can review:

• vehicle results
• video matches
• alerts
• related evidence

in one interface. That can help reduce manual review time and improve coordination across security operations, asset protection teams, and law enforcement agencies.

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Coordinate Faster Across Locations

When authorized, organizations can search across connected camera systems and participating locations. This can help teams:

• investigate repeat theft incidents
• identify connections between relevant vehicle sightingsa
• coordinate across retail locations
• improve visibility across larger shopping areas and parking lots

Access remains permission-based and locally controlled.

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‍Receive Alerts When Relevant Matches Appear

When alert criteria are configured on enabled Flock systems, authorized teams can be notified when relevant matches appear. This helps operators and investigators assess potential incidents without continuously monitoring camera feeds manually.

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Built for Real-World Retail Investigations

Retail theft investigations often involve:

• fast-moving incidents
• incomplete witness descriptions
• multiple responding teams
• coordination across public and private organizations

FreeForm helps retail security teams and law enforcement:

• reduce manual search time
• surface relevant evidence faster
• coordinate response more effectively during active investigations

In many theft investigations, the challenge is not whether footage exists. It’s whether teams can find the right evidence quickly enough to act.

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Built-In Accountability and Reviewability

FreeForm includes:

• audit logs
• permission-based access
• search history
• moderation tools

These controls help organizations review searches, manage access, and support responsible use across teams and locations. Every organization operates differently. That’s why local control and reviewability matter.

FreeForm Is Not Facial Recognition

FreeForm does not use facial recognition or person recognition. People search is based on observable visual characteristics captured on enabled video feeds, such as clothing and visible accessories and objects. It is not designed to identify a specific person. That distinction matters. Security systems should support faster investigations while remaining transparent about how the technology works.

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See How FreeForm Works

Learn more about Flock FreeForm and how retail security teams and law enforcement use it to search video and LPR evidence with natural-language descriptions, configured alerts, and built-in safeguards.

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FAQs

‍How does FreeForm help with retail theft investigations?

FreeForm helps teams search with plain-language descriptions, surface relevant visual matches, review related evidence, and coordinate responses across retail security teams and law enforcement. 

Does FreeForm use facial recognition?

No. FreeForm does not use facial recognition. People search works from observable visual details captured on enabled video feeds, not LPR. This includes things like clothing, visible accessories, or objects in frame. It is not built to identify who someone is.

How does Flock FreeForm help retail theft investigations?

Flock FreeForm helps retail security teams and law enforcement search video and license plate reader evidence using natural-language descriptions. Teams can start with partial details, such as an unusual vehicle description or a location, and review relevant matches across enabled systems faster than manual footage review alone.

Can Flock FreeForm search both video and license plate reader evidence?

Yes. FreeForm brings video and LPR evidence into one workflow so authorized users can review vehicle results, video matches, alerts, and related evidence in a connected interface. This can help reduce system switching and support faster coordination during time-sensitive retail investigations.

Is Flock FreeForm facial recognition?

No. Flock FreeForm does not use facial recognition or person recognition. People search is based on observable visual characteristics captured on enabled video feeds, such as clothing, visible accessories or objects, and is not designed to identify a specific person.

What privacy and accountability controls does Flock FreeForm include?

FreeForm includes permission-based access, audit logs, search history, and moderation tools. These controls help organizations manage who can search, review how the tool is used, and maintain local control across participating teams and locations.

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