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Over 1,400 shoplifters are being intercepted by facial recognition cameras every day as Britain’s retail industry turns to high-tech warfare to combat an industrial-scale wave of theft.
New data reveals that the Facewatch AI system, currently deployed across major chains including Sainsbury’s, Sports Direct, and Home Bargains, issued more than half a million “known thief” alerts to shop staff in 2025. This represents a staggering 1,415 interventions per day, more than doubling the volume of detections recorded just one year prior.
The technology works by scanning the faces of shoppers as they enter a store and cross-referencing them against a digital watchlist of prolific offenders. Within an average of nine seconds, the system can flag a “subject of interest,” allowing security teams to either monitor the individual or escort them from the premises before goods are taken.
Facewatch CEO Nick Fisher defended the rapid expansion of the network, stating that the figures reflect a reality where retailers must act “faster and smarter” to protect employees and stock.
While official police records show shoplifting offences hit a record high of 529,994 last year, industry experts believe the true scale of the crisis is closer to 20 million thefts annually, costing businesses £2.6 billion.
However, the rise of the machines has sparked a fierce backlash from privacy campaigners who warn that innocent shoppers are being caught in a digital dragnet. Groups like Big Brother Watch have highlighted cases of “human error” where shoppers were humiliated and blacklisted from their local stores after being falsely flagged by the AI.
One victim, a shopper named Jenny, described being blocked by security and accused of theft in front of other customers due to a false match. She warned that technology companies have effectively become “judge, jury and executioner” with no legal due process for those wrongly accused.
Despite these concerns, retailers are doubling down on the technology. During the week leading up to Christmas Eve alone, the system issued nearly 15,000 alerts, marking the busiest period for AI-driven crime prevention in UK retail history.
Battling Retail Crime with Tech: Body-Worn Cameras and Beyond
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