Live facial recognition deployments see shoplifters and offenders wanted on warrant identified

Deployments of live facial recognition (LFR) across south Wales this summer has seen a number of shoplifters and offenders wanted on warrant identified.

The aim of the deployments set up as part of South Wales Police’s (SWP) Safer Streets Summer Initiative is to locate suspects, wanted people and high-risk missing people.

As a result of the scheme several shoplifters, thieves, and people wanted on warrant have been identified and stopped.

Those identified include:

Richard Wolsey, aged 46, of no fixed abode. After being stopped, he pleaded guilty to five counts of theft at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on August 16. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

Nicholas Williams, aged 39, of Blaenymaes. After being stopped, he pleaded guilty to five counts of theft at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on August 8. He was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison.

Darren Williams, aged 53, of no fixed abode. After being stopped, he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of a pedal cycle, and one count of criminal damage to a property valued under £5000 at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on August 8. He was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison.

Kain Jason, aged 41, of Butetown, had a warrant out for his arrest for a breaching the conditions set post sentencing.

Seren Hassan-Lowe, aged 20, of Cardiff, was stopped as she had a warrant for her recall to prison.

One man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of two counts of robbery, possession of drugs – class A, and immigration matters. He has been passed over to Immigration services.

One man in his 40s was arrested after a warrant was issued for his arrest for a common assault in another force area.

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LFR is one element of facial recognition technology used by officers, and works by comparing a live camera feed of faces against a predetermined watchlist to find a possible match.

When an alert is generated, an officer decides whether or not to speak to the person.

With SWP understanding of the technology having developed significantly in recent years, August 2025 marked six years since a false alert was created for somebody in south Wales, despite more than 80 deployments of LFR in that time.

There has also never been a wrongful arrest in south Wales.

Chief Inspector Tony Williams said: “LFR is just one of the tactics used to support our neighbourhood policing teams in tackling issues like shoplifting, criminal damage, and anti-social behaviour in our communities.

“These deployments are part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee uplift, increasing patrols in our communities and reflects our ongoing commitment ensuring residents and businesses feel safe every day.”

As well as LFR, funding for facial recognition – much of which came through Home Office innovation grants – has also helped SWP develop use of retrospective facial recognition, and operator-initiated facial recognition.

There have now been more than 10,000 matches through SWP’s use of RFR on images from CCTV, mobile phones, doorbell footage.

It has brought to justice perpetrators of crimes including burglary, theft, robbery, assault, trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence, and false imprisonment with intent to commit a sexual offence.