‘Game-Changing’ Facial Recognition Helps UK Cops Narrow Investigation Into Retail Theft

United Kingdom police recently embarked on a venture known as “Project Pegasus” to explore the effectiveness of facial recognition technology in tackling retail theft. The pilot, initiated in September, involved a collaboration with 12 retail entities to identify 30 habitual offenders. Now, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has termed the initial results as “game-changing,” suggesting a potential positive impact on investigative processes.

The operational framework of Project Pegasus entails comparing images supplied by retailers with the Metropolitan Police’s custody images database. Of the 302 images that were submitted for comparison, 149 were positively matched, indicating a matching success rate of nearly 50 percent. These positive identifications are currently under further investigation to possibly build criminal cases against the identified individuals, marking a forward step in addressing retail theft.

The facial recognition software deployed in this pilot is capable of analyzing biometric aspects of a person’s face, and reportedly can identify a match within approximately 60 seconds, even if part of the face is obscured. The technology is capable of utilizing imagery from various sources including CCTV, dashcams, doorbell cameras, or mobile phones, which could potentially broaden its application.

The algorithm driving the facial recognition has been a point of discussion, especially concerning its accuracy and possible biases. Lindsey Chiswick, the Met’s Director of Intelligence, has stated that the algorithm has been independently tested by the National Physical Laboratory for its accuracy in retrospective matching, although public discourse around potential biases in facial recognition technology persists.

One notable aspect of the data derived from the pilot is the indication that many of the identified retail offenders may also be involved in other forms of serious criminal activity. This insight could potentially allow the Met to allocate its investigative resources more strategically.

The Association of Convenience Stores’ Chief Executive, James Lowman, highlighted the potential of such technology in reducing the time police spend linking crimes across different businesses. However, he also emphasized the ongoing challenge of apprehending these identified offenders.

Project Pegasus has garnered support from major UK supermarkets, with a collective financial commitment of at least £600,000 towards the initiative. In announcing the project in September, Policing Minister Chris Philp had set a timeline of six to eight weeks for the establishment of a list of the most prolific shoplifters, marking a concerted effort to curb retail crime.

The unfolding of Project Pegasus provides an insight into how technological innovation is being leveraged in contemporary policing efforts, yet the full scope of its impact remains to be seen as further analysis and evaluations are carried out.

Source: The Independent

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October 19, 2023 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team