Time to talk about a thing called Aura.

Time to talk about a thing called Aura.

Now.

Now.

Aura is a surveillance network that retailers use and can submit footage of shoplifting incidents to the police. So when former Green MP god Is government was spoken to by Pack and Save Security last year for suspected shoplifting, Pack and Save did not talk to the police. They did not make a complaint to the police, but they did record the incident on the system called Aura. Police have access to Ora apparently, and they have confirmed that's how they found out about this latest incident with Gold's garment. So Phil Thompson is the CEO of AURA and he joins me right now, Hello, welcome to the program. Phil. Thanks and did you name that after Harry Potter?

Aura is a surveillance network that retailers use and can submit footage of shoplifting incidents to the police. So when former Green MP god Is government was spoken to by Pack and Save Security last year for suspected shoplifting, Pack and Save did not talk to the police. They did not make a complaint to the police, but they did record the incident on the system called Aura. Police have access to Ora apparently, and they have confirmed that's how they found out about this latest incident with Gold's garment. So Phil Thompson is the CEO of AURA and he joins me right now, Hello, welcome to the program. Phil. Thanks and did you name that after Harry Potter?

No old lesson words for light. So keeping everyone safe? Right?

No old lesson words for light. So keeping everyone safe? Right?

So JK Rowling stole it from Latin. You've stole it also from Latin and that is good. So what do you guys actually do with this them?

So JK Rowling stole it from Latin. You've stole it also from Latin and that is good. So what do you guys actually do with this them?

Yeah, I'm really useful to understand and mischaracterized as surveillance, but quite simply, we're our crime reporting platform. So retailers are capturing information on crimes and attempted crimes that happen in their stores and making that visible to their own head office and also to police. So it's a good chance for retailers to work closer with police run retail crime because it's probably not as widely understood the problem itself, but across the country we've got a serious retail crime problem. You know, there's more than two million dollars every day being stolen. We're all paying more for our goods because of that. And actually there's a lot of violence associated with that crime as well, So that of all those retail crimes include some sort of threats of violence to people.

Yeah, I'm really useful to understand and mischaracterized as surveillance, but quite simply, we're our crime reporting platform. So retailers are capturing information on crimes and attempted crimes that happen in their stores and making that visible to their own head office and also to police. So it's a good chance for retailers to work closer with police run retail crime because it's probably not as widely understood the problem itself, but across the country we've got a serious retail crime problem. You know, there's more than two million dollars every day being stolen. We're all paying more for our goods because of that. And actually there's a lot of violence associated with that crime as well, So that of all those retail crimes include some sort of threats of violence to people.

I'd hate to say this, mate, That doesn't surprise anybody we know about this. So here's the question. How much access do police have and can they look at everything or any camera anytime any shop in New Zealand that is using Aura.

I'd hate to say this, mate, That doesn't surprise anybody we know about this. So here's the question. How much access do police have and can they look at everything or any camera anytime any shop in New Zealand that is using Aura.

No they can't, so I think, you know, we aren't cameras, We're not a surveillance system. Quite simply, retailers choose to make the crimes that they witness in their stores visible to police and then it's up to police to determine how they use it information to investigate further and solve more crime. So it's a way for retail to provide information, including evidence like video, to police more efficiently. So we're just modernizing what's always happened, but rather than paper files and USB stics, we're making it digital much faster for both sides.

No they can't, so I think, you know, we aren't cameras, We're not a surveillance system. Quite simply, retailers choose to make the crimes that they witness in their stores visible to police and then it's up to police to determine how they use it information to investigate further and solve more crime. So it's a way for retail to provide information, including evidence like video, to police more efficiently. So we're just modernizing what's always happened, but rather than paper files and USB stics, we're making it digital much faster for both sides.

And I know you don't want to talk about this case that we have at the moment because it's in process and all that sort of thing. But after what you just said, how come pack and Safe did to make a complaint, but the police actually saw what happened.

And I know you don't want to talk about this case that we have at the moment because it's in process and all that sort of thing. But after what you just said, how come pack and Safe did to make a complaint, but the police actually saw what happened.

So retailers generally provide visibility to crime events for the police, and they often choose which ones they want to report officially for further follow up, and often it comes down to things like if it's a non repeat offender or if it is someone who has high value. But often it's almost like when you call Triple five right for dangerous driving that you see on the road yourself. You're not making an official, complete plase complaint, but you're providing them with information of what you're seeing. It's how we keep our community safe, and I think police having information around crimes that occur in our community is a good thing that that helps all of us, rather than that being seen as a sinister thing.

So retailers generally provide visibility to crime events for the police, and they often choose which ones they want to report officially for further follow up, and often it comes down to things like if it's a non repeat offender or if it is someone who has high value. But often it's almost like when you call Triple five right for dangerous driving that you see on the road yourself. You're not making an official, complete plase complaint, but you're providing them with information of what you're seeing. It's how we keep our community safe, and I think police having information around crimes that occur in our community is a good thing that that helps all of us, rather than that being seen as a sinister thing.

I get that, and I see now how they were notified about where to look on the tape to find out. By the way, is the tape or no, of course it's not a memory stick or something.

I get that, and I see now how they were notified about where to look on the tape to find out. By the way, is the tape or no, of course it's not a memory stick or something.

Well, no, it's purely I mean the retailers now upload their own evidence for video footage, witness statements into the cloud and it makes it easier for police to download that footage and then use it if they need to.

Well, no, it's purely I mean the retailers now upload their own evidence for video footage, witness statements into the cloud and it makes it easier for police to download that footage and then use it if they need to.

Are there tecks and balances in place to prevent the footage from being misused?

Are there tecks and balances in place to prevent the footage from being misused?

Yes, there are so. Retailers and police have their own policies around what information is uploaded, how it's used. And also we've built a lot of safeguards and privacy by design into the platform itself, so it's a restricted access and use of the platform and only certain things like crimes and tympt of crimes are visible to police with a net.

Yes, there are so. Retailers and police have their own policies around what information is uploaded, how it's used. And also we've built a lot of safeguards and privacy by design into the platform itself, so it's a restricted access and use of the platform and only certain things like crimes and tympt of crimes are visible to police with a net.

And is the footage ever deleted? How long does it sit there?

And is the footage ever deleted? How long does it sit there?

Yeah, retailers will keep information for as long as their lawful purpose to doing so, and it is deleted when it's no longer needed.

Yeah, retailers will keep information for as long as their lawful purpose to doing so, and it is deleted when it's no longer needed.

Very good. So how many retailers have signed up?

Very good. So how many retailers have signed up?

We work with probably most major retailers across New Zealand. And we're actually operating in Australia, the US and the UK as well. And when a retail crime is a massive problem right across the world, and like I said earlier, you know, we as as the consumer end up paying more for our goods because of it, and also our frontline workers are the targets of this violence and threats in store.

We work with probably most major retailers across New Zealand. And we're actually operating in Australia, the US and the UK as well. And when a retail crime is a massive problem right across the world, and like I said earlier, you know, we as as the consumer end up paying more for our goods because of it, and also our frontline workers are the targets of this violence and threats in store.

It's very good. So if you're if you've gotten a furious purpose, be warned you are being watched. Phil Thompson from Aura, thank you so much for your time today.

It's very good. So if you're if you've gotten a furious purpose, be warned you are being watched. Phil Thompson from Aura, thank you so much for your time today.

For more from Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio

For more from Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio