An off-line NCIC search can determine whether a property item theft was entered and later removed due to retention expiration or ORI removal, even if the on-line query shows 'no record'.

• A. False; online query would always show the record
• B. True — an off-line NCIC search can determine whether a property item theft was entered and later removed due to retention expiration or ORI removal, even if the on-line query shows 'no record'.
• C. False; purged records are never retrievable
• D. True, but only for non-property items

Answer: (B)

Off-line NCIC searches access archived records and the history of entries and removals that isn’t shown in the live, on-line query. When a property item theft is entered in NCIC, it can be retained for a set period, and it can also be removed if retention expires or if the originating agency (ORI) is removed from the record. Once a record is purged from the on-line active database, the online query may show no record, but the off-line archive keeps the prior entry and the reason it was removed. That means you can determine that the item was entered and later removed, despite seeing “no record” online.

Purged records aren’t necessarily forever inaccessible; the offline history can reveal that they existed and why they were removed. The concept applies to property items as well as other categories, so the statement about non-property items isn’t the limiting factor here.