'Snap' on to save belongings

Hamilton Police acting inspector Kent Holdsworth with the dozens of stolen bikes in a police storage facility.

Police return thousands of items every year to people who stole them because they can't prove they were stolen.

But a police initiative - Snap - that was developed years ago is being ramped up in a bid to encourage more people to log their assets online. Logging the items and their serial numbers could see them returned to their rightful owner if they're stolen.

Hamilton Police acting inspector and area prevention manager Kent Holdsworth said it was "incredibly disappointing" that items were regularly returned to thieves because police weren't able to prove the items were stolen.

"A huge inhibitor for the police and the community is the inability to identify and link property with its legitimate owner," said Mr Holdsworth.

"Unless we can do that, we allow the stolen property market to thrive. We don't like going to an address, finding literally a warehouse of items and having to return them because we can't prove they're stolen. And that happens."

If the stolen item is registered in Snap, the owner can pass the information to police who can then store it in their intelligence application. If they recover the item and the serial number shows up in their system, the item can be returned to its owner.

Snap was launched in the 1990s but it was a paper-based system where a household would record assets and serial numbers. Mr Holdsworth said Datacom approached police with an offer to develop a web-based asset register for free.

Now Harvey Norman Hamilton has backed the initiative and will this month launch its involvement. Electrical proprietor Evan Claxton said Snap was a great cause to be associated with and the company saw value in promoting it to its clients.

Mr Claxton said police would educate Harvey Norman staff on the programme so they could then help clients register and offer them a tutorial on how to use it. '

'Our staff have the skills and ability to help client through the process, particularly those who perhaps aren't computer literate."

The Hamilton store will act as a pilot for the nationwide retail chain and if it's deemed a success the co-operative relationship may be rolled out to stores throughout New Zealand.

Harvey Norman will host a family daytomorrow to launch the in-store promotion of Snap. Police will be on site to talk to people about the project.

The online tool is easy to use and steps users through the registration process. It offers users the ability to upload photographs of their items, print a complete inventory, download and email the inventory.

"This is about helping the community to take ownership and responsibility for their property," said Mr Holdsworth. "Just like you would lock your house and secure your windows, this is another safeguard."

To log assets, or find out more, visit www.snap.org.nz.