Something similar happened at Suffolk's Phinest Phantom base in the early 1980s. Some thieving SAC was caught trying to make off with a whole load of kit from stores one evening - which happened to be when I was SDO. Fortunately the RAFP had everything well in hand by the time I arrived at the Guardroom, so there was no risk of me screwing anything up. 'Chummy' was then 'banged up' looking rather sheepish.
I asked whether there was anything they needed me to do as there was nothing in the Ladybird Book of the SDO which gave me much guidance. Fortunately there wasn't - but I was asked to return when the 'Investigator' arrived from his call-out.
The 'Investigator' was straight out of The Sweeney. Close cropped hair, a black leather bomber jacket and about as wide as he was tall. He set up his desk and lined up his pen and notebook with precision. He told me what the procedure would be, then I asked if he would need me for anything further ('let the professionals get on with it and don't bugger about getting in the way' being my feeling).
"No it's OK sir. But I might need you if I have to tumble his drum though."
"Really? You can actually do that? I didn't think that sort of thing was allowed?"
"Err, oh, sorry sir, that's an expression we use in the trade. It means 'search his accommodation'.
"Thank heavens for that. I thought you meant you might need to smack the bugger around the swede to get him to cough!"
"Would I do that sir?", he asked with a pained expression, clearly offended at my doubting his professionalism, then continued with a wry grin. "Might get the answers a bloody sight quicker if I did though!".
So we had a cup of tea and a chat about the forthcoming procedure and off I went to write something in the SDO's report. I gather that 'Chummy' was subsequently given a little holiday in a Colchester holiday camp. But I'm quite sure that the 'Investigator' told all his Plod chums about the dumb Rodney who thought that giving suspected villains an encouraging little slap was all part of police procedure!