A woman who had been wanted for more than two decades has been apprehended during a six-month trial of live facial recognition technology in south London.
Arrests and Impact
In total, 173 suspects were arrested for offences including kidnap, rape, and serious sexual assault during the pilot programme in Croydon. For the first time, static cameras were used instead of mobile vans. The Metropolitan Police reported that crime in the area decreased by 10.5% during the trial, which ran from October 2025 to March 2026, with a notable 21% reduction in violence against women and girls.
Notable Cases
The static cameras, positioned on Croydon High Street, were deployed in 24 operations. Among those arrested was a 36-year-old woman wanted for failing to appear at court for an assault committed in 2004. Additionally, a 31-year-old man wanted for voyeurism for over six months was detained, along with a 41-year-old man linked to a rape that occurred in Croydon in November.
Lindsey Chiswick, the national and Metropolitan Police lead for live facial recognition, stated: “These results demonstrate why live facial recognition is such a powerful tool when used carefully, openly, and in appropriate locations. Crime in this area has dropped by more than 10%, and the public can see the difference. This technology helps us locate individuals wanted by the courts, quickly identify serious offenders, and focus our resources where they have the greatest impact, all with exceptional accuracy. We will continue using static cameras in Croydon as part of our regular live facial recognition deployments, which play a crucial role in keeping London safe.”
More than 470,000 people passed the camera during the pilot, which resulted in only one false alert. In that instance, the individual was spoken to by officers and subsequently allowed to leave.
