Latest news with #LiveFacialRecognition
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Scottish Sun
The new secret weapon nailing dangerous criminals in the street including sick paedo who befriended family
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AT first glance, it looks like just another white van parked up by the side of the road. But the unremarkable Iveco truck is a secret weapon for cops in their drive to nail dangerous fugitives. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Cops speak to a passerby flagged by live cameras in East London Credit: Paul Edwards 7 Sun man Mike Sullivan approaches LFR cameras Credit: Paul Edwards 7 The tech recognised The Sun's Mike from the scanned image Credit: Paul Edwards Covered in cameras, it houses a bank of screens and hi-tech computer equipment — the centrepiece of a Met Police Live Facial Recognition (LFR) deployment. And it plays a crucial role in safeguarding children and the vulnerable from sex offenders, stalkers and violent criminals. Seven cameras perched on top of the vehicle constantly scan the pedestrians walking by — feeding the images into a computer which flags up suspects wanted by cops. It also looks out for people on the run or subject to court orders for a range of offences, including sex crimes, to ensure they have not committed any breach. Known haunts The Sun joined a Met Live Facial Recognition team on a deployment close to Upton Park station in London's East End — and I got to test out the kit. I handed over a copy of my Press card featuring my grisly mug, which was fed into the database alongside 16,000 genuine custody images of wanted criminals and those subject to court orders. It means that when I later come into view of the truck's cameras, alerts inside start going off like a pinball machine. My features registered a high score on the biometrics system, which works using facial measurements. Happily, the cops inside knew it was all for my report. Met Central Ops director Lindsey Chiswick says: 'If you're not subject to a current order or wanted for a criminal offence, then the tech will ignore you. It is taking some really dangerous people off the streets.' The LFR van at Upton Park was sitting close to a Greggs bakery — a famous target for shoplifters. One officer told me: 'Businesses love to see us turn up. Nobody will be shoplifting at Greggs here today.' AI facial recognition can 'predict political views' sparking warning from researchers about where you post photos online New stats released today show 1,035 wanted criminals were arrested by the Met between January 1 and June 20 thanks to this new facial recognition kit. They included more than 100 offenders who carried out serious acts of violence such as rape, stalking and domestic abuse. Some 93 of them were registered sex offenders, including David Cheneler, 73, who was lagged up by LFR in Denmark Hill, South London, in January while walking with a six-year-old girl. Cheneler, who was jailed for nine years in 2019 for offences against children, had befriended the girl's mother on his release from prison and offered to pick the youngster up from school as a 'favour'. The mum had no idea of his appalling history. 7 Eight arrests were made during the Upton Park deployment Credit: Paul Edwards 7 The unremarkable Iveco truck is a secret weapon for cops Credit: Paul Edwards Cheneler was found to have a knife when stopped by the LFR team — and checks revealed that he was in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order stopping him from being alone with a child under 14. The paedophile, from Lewisham, South London, was sentenced to two years at Kingston Crown Court in May after admitting breaching the terms of his order and possessing an offensive weapon. Lindsey Chiswick says: 'The tech flagged him up. 'Without it, Cheneler would still be walking the streets.' A violent robber who targeted a Rolex watch, 22-year-old Adenola Akindutrie, had false ID documents and used a fake Irish accent on cops when he was flagged up by LFR in Stratford, East London, in April. People might age, put on weight or lose it, but they will still show up as certain facial features don't change a lot. Police officer He was arrested and fingerprints proved his identity. The villain is now behind bars awaiting sentence. Shoplifter Darren Dubarry, 50, was also caught on camera in May because he was wanted for theft — and found to be in possession of designer clothing he had stolen that same day. Eight arrests were made during the Upton Park deployment attended by The Sun last month, with 14 people stopped in total. A second LFR team operating that day in Tooting, South London, made two arrests. The NeoFace system checks 28 facial measurements, including eyes, nose, mouth and head size. 7 If a person is of no interest, then the pixelated image is immediately deleted Credit: Paul Edwards Each person is given a score, and the threshold for an alert is anything over 0.64. After I had my image added to the system, it clocked me instantly and I scored 1.47. If a person is of no interest, then the pixelated image caught on LFR is immediately deleted. Even though the vans themselves are inconspicuous, LFR vehicles have a sign on the back saying Live Facial Recognition in operation — and there are warning notices at either end of the recognition zones. If someone flags up on the system, an alarm in the vehicle is activated and the person is pulled aside. Sunglasses and baseball caps are no barrier to the technology. And if you are wanted for an offence and hoping fat jabs may have changed your features, then forget it. You will still be spotted. In general, around one in five of those serving protection orders is found to be in breach of their conditions and arrested on the spot. Intelligence reports on those stopped but not in breach go to offender managers to make them aware of the criminals' movements. It is taking some really dangerous people off the streets Met Central Ops director Lindsey Chiswick The list of 16,000 subjects of interest in Upton Park is based on reports of their known haunts. An officer on the team, says: 'Criminals are transient, but it's possible some of the 16,000 could be in the area. 'Some of the custody images might be five years old, but we have even matched a custody image which was taken 24 years ago. 'People might age, put on weight or lose it, but they will still flag up because certain facial features don't change a lot.' The LFR system was first trialled by the Met in 2016 and by South Wales Police the following year. It is expanding across the country with eight forces having used it. Freedom of information data revealed LFR scanned 4.7million faces in England and Wales last year — twice the number in 2023. False alerts are rare — one in 33,000 — and officers provide a safeguard by making the ultimate decision on whether to stop someone. Civil liberties groups have raised fears of a Big Brother era being ushered in without legal checks and balances. However, 83 per cent of the public backs the system.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- The Irish Sun
The new secret weapon nailing dangerous criminals in the street including sick paedo who befriended family
AT first glance, it looks like just another white van parked up by the side of the road. But the unremarkable Iveco truck is a secret weapon for cops in their drive to nail dangerous fugitives. 7 Cops speak to a passerby flagged by live cameras in East London Credit: Paul Edwards 7 Sun man Mike Sullivan approaches LFR cameras Credit: Paul Edwards 7 The tech recognised The Sun's Mike from the scanned image Credit: Paul Edwards Covered in cameras, it houses a bank of screens and hi-tech computer equipment — the centrepiece of a Met Police Live Facial Recognition (LFR) deployment. And it plays a crucial role in safeguarding children and the vulnerable from sex offenders, stalkers and violent criminals. Seven cameras perched on top of the vehicle constantly scan the pedestrians walking by — feeding the images into a computer which flags up suspects wanted by cops. It also looks out for people on the run or subject to court orders for a range of offences, including sex crimes, to ensure they have not committed any breach. READ MORE ON CRIME Known haunts The Sun joined a Met Live Facial Recognition team on a deployment close to Upton Park station in London's East End — and I got to test out the kit. I handed over a copy of my Press card featuring my grisly mug, which was fed into the database alongside 16,000 genuine custody images of wanted criminals and those subject to court orders. It means that when I later come into view of the truck's cameras, alerts inside start going off like a pinball machine. My features registered a high score on the biometrics system, which works using facial measurements. Happily, the cops inside knew it was all for my report. Most read in The Sun Met Central Ops director Lindsey Chiswick says: 'If you're not subject to a current order or wanted for a criminal offence, then the tech will ignore you. It is taking some really dangerous people off the streets.' The LFR van at Upton Park was sitting close to a Greggs bakery — a famous target for shoplifters. One officer told me: 'Businesses love to see us turn up. Nobody will be shoplifting at Greggs here today.' AI facial recognition can 'predict political views' sparking warning from researchers about where you post photos online New stats released today show 1,035 wanted criminals were arrested by the Met between January 1 and June 20 thanks to this new They included more than 100 offenders who carried out serious acts of violence such as rape, stalking and domestic abuse. Some 93 of them were registered sex offenders, including David Cheneler, 73, who was lagged up by LFR in Denmark Hill, South London, in January while walking with a six-year-old girl. Cheneler, who was jailed for nine years in 2019 for offences against children, had befriended the girl's mother on his release from prison and offered to pick the youngster up from school as a 'favour'. The mum had no idea of his appalling history. 7 Eight arrests were made during the Upton Park deployment Credit: Paul Edwards 7 The unremarkable Iveco truck is a secret weapon for cops Credit: Paul Edwards Cheneler was found to have a knife when stopped by the LFR team — and checks revealed that he was in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order stopping him from being alone with a child under 14. The paedophile, from Lewisham, South London, was sentenced to two years at Kingston Crown Court in May after admitting breaching the terms of his order and possessing an offensive weapon. Lindsey Chiswick says: 'The tech flagged him up. 'Without it, Cheneler would still be walking the streets.' A violent robber who targeted a Rolex watch, 22-year-old Adenola Akindutrie, had false ID documents and used a fake Irish accent on cops when he was flagged up by LFR in Stratford, East London, in April. People might age, put on weight or lose it, but they will still show up as certain facial features don't change a lot. Police officer He was arrested and fingerprints proved his identity. The villain is now behind bars awaiting sentence. Shoplifter Darren Dubarry, 50, was also caught on camera in May because he was wanted for theft — and found to be in possession of designer clothing he had stolen that same day. Eight arrests were made during the Upton Park deployment attended by The Sun last month, with 14 people stopped in total. A second LFR team operating that day in Tooting, South London, made two arrests. The NeoFace system checks 28 facial measurements, including eyes, nose, mouth and head size. 7 If a person is of no interest, then the pixelated image is immediately deleted Credit: Paul Edwards Each person is given a score, and the threshold for an alert is anything over 0.64. After I had my image added to the system, it clocked me instantly and I scored 1.47. If a person is of no interest, then the pixelated image caught on LFR is immediately deleted. Even though the vans themselves are inconspicuous, LFR vehicles have a sign on the back saying Live Facial Recognition in operation — and there are warning notices at either end of the recognition zones. If someone flags up on the system, an alarm in the vehicle is activated and the person is pulled aside. Sunglasses and baseball caps are no barrier to the technology. And if you are wanted for an offence and hoping fat jabs may have changed your features, then forget it. You will still be spotted. In general, around one in five of those serving protection orders is found to be in breach of their conditions and arrested on the spot. Intelligence reports on those stopped but not in breach go to offender managers to make them aware of the criminals' movements. It is taking some really dangerous people off the streets Met Central Ops director Lindsey Chiswick The list of 16,000 subjects of interest in Upton Park is based on reports of their known haunts. An officer on the team, says: 'Criminals are transient, but it's possible some of the 16,000 could be in the area. 'Some of the custody images might be five years old, but we have even matched a custody image which was taken 24 years ago. 'People might age, put on weight or lose it, but they will still flag up because certain facial features don't change a lot.' The LFR system was first trialled by the Met in 2016 and by South Wales Police the following year. It is expanding across the country with eight forces having used it. Freedom of information data revealed LFR scanned 4.7million faces in False alerts are rare — one in 33,000 — and officers provide a safeguard by making the ultimate decision on whether to stop someone. Civil liberties groups have raised fears of a Big Brother era being ushered in without legal checks and balances. However, 83 per cent of the public backs the system. 7 Seven cameras perched on top of the vehicle constantly scan pedestrians walking by Credit: Paul Edwards
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Yahoo
Live Facial Recognition vans to be deployed in Southend tomorrow
FACIAL recognition vans will operating in Southend tomorrow as part of Essex Police's efforts to keep the city safe. Southend has seen high visitor numbers today as sun-seekers from across south Essex packed the beach. Live Facial Recognition is a tool used by police forces to identify wanted individuals among the public - it does not store the information of pedestrians who are not already on police databases. We're now on WhatsApp! Join our new channel at to get all the latest breaking news and exclusive stories delivered straight to your phone. A spokesperson for Essex Police said: "Our Live Facial Recognition vans will be in Southend tomorrow, Sunday June 22, as part of our policing plan to keep the city safe. "If you've got questions about how the technology works, please speak to our officers and they'll be happy to explain." Busy - Sun-seekers have flocked to Southend in recent days (Image: Lucy North) Southend seafront has seen large visitor numbers throughout the day as residents seek to make the most of this weekend's mini-heatwave. Live Facial Recognition has been deployed in Southend on numerous occasions in the past, with vans parked on both the seafront and High Street. You can find out more information about Essex Police's use of Live Facial Recognition at
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cumbria Police to consult on use of facial recognition at Appleby Fair
Cumbria Police will be consulting with communities on the use of facial recognition technology during the Appleby Horse Fair. The force will be gathering views from the gypsy and traveller community on whether Live Facial Recognition (LFR) cameras should be deployed at future Appleby Horse Fairs. The technology will not be used during the 2025 event. Detective Superintendent Dan St Quintin, gold police commander for Appleby Horse Fair, said: "Whilst we are not deploying facial recognition during the 2025 Appleby Horse Fair, I want to gauge public opinion on its potential future use. "Therefore, we want to use the opportunity of the 2025 fair to reach out to all communities impacted by the fair to gauge opinion and feeling around the proposal. "As gold commander for the Appleby Horse Fair policing operation, it is my role to look each year at how we can enhance the safety of this event. "This technology has the potential to have a profoundly positive impact on our ability to keep people safe – by quickly identifying people who are suspected of committing a crime, have travelled here despite being wanted by the police, and by helping us to safeguard vulnerable people, including missing individuals. "However, policing by consent relies on public support for such measures, which is why we are asking for the public's views on our use of this technology in future Appleby Horse Fair policing operations." Live Facial Recognition works by using cameras to scan the faces of passers-by and instantly compare them against a curated database of individuals wanted by police. The technology could be used to identify people suspected of crimes, those wanted on warrant, or individuals reported missing. Billy Welch, a Gypsy and Traveller representative and member of the Multi Agency Co-ordinating Group (MASCG), said: "As the tenant of Fair Hill, I work with police and the council to keep Appleby Fair safe and enjoyable for everyone, for the sake of our children and grandchildren. "Wherever people gather in large numbers, CCTV and security cameras have become normal, and the technology has advanced so fast that facial recognition is now a fact of life. "If Cumbria Police can use it to identify criminality and troublemakers and keep them away from the fair, then I would support it. "People who have not committed any offence have nothing to worry about. "Some people might disagree, but whatever you think about this proposal, it is important that all points of view are heard, so I encourage everyone to take part in this survey so that police can measure public opinion before the fair next year." David Allen, Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said: "As commissioner, I am the voice of the public in policing and fire services in the county, so I'm really pleased to see Cumbria Constabulary consulting with the public on their thoughts surrounding facial recognition. "I want to make it clear: this isn't a tool to spy on law-abiding members of the public. "I would like to encourage anyone at the fair and in Appleby to take part in the survey – we genuinely do want your opinions and for you to raise any concerns. "Let us work together to ensure that we can continue to keep Cumbria and Appleby Fair safe for everyone." People attending the fair, as well as those living in the area, will be able to take part in the survey. Written forms will be made available at the Tourist Information Centre in Appleby.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Moment paedo arrested after being caught with six-year-old girl on street – before cops make terrifying discovery
THIS IS the moment where two police officers caught a known paedophile using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology. The sex offender was picked up by officers who made a chilling discovery when they reached him. 5 Met Police used facial recognition technology to catch a registered sex offender Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 Police discovered the criminal with a six-year-old girl Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 The convicted sex offenders was discovered to have a knife hidden under his belt Credit: Metropolitan Police David Cheneler, 76, was found with a six-year-old girl in the shocking footage. The incident occurred on January 10, this year, in the busy Denmark Hill area of London. Officers can be heard telling him to 'keep his voice down' while he shouted and held an arm up to a female police officer. The known sex offender said that he was taking the girl 'from school to her mum' and claimed that they had taken the 'wrong bus'. Read More on UK News TOMMY CHARGED Tommy Robinson charged with harassment hours after judge agreed early release One cop responded by reminding Cheneler that he was banned from being alone with any child below the age of 14, due to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). Cheneler tried bargaining with the officers in the video, captured by a body cam, by offering to show them 'something you won't probably find'. In exchange, he asked the officers to 'undo him' - in a reference to his handcuffs. Following that, the registered sex offender made a chilling admission saying: 'It's a little knife, I've got on me'. Officers retrieved a lock knife from his belt buckle and before arresting him for breaching the order. The cop, who had told Cheneler to keep his voice down, read him his rights before hauling him to the station. The LFR technology had been fitted on a police van in Denmark Hill and was scanning for known offenders in the area. Further enquiries by cops uncovered that Cheneler had picked up the girl as a favour to her mother - something he had done twice before, after building up a relationship with them over a year. However, the unnamed girl's mother was unaware of the sex offender's SOPO. Cheneler was jailed for two years on May 20, after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and breaking the terms of his SOPO. 5 David Cheneler had previously been convicted of over 20 sex offences Credit: Metropolitan Police The Sexual Offences Prevention Order in 2019, after being convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16. He had also been convicted of five counts of gross indecency with a child between 1968 and 1993, which led to a nine-year prison term, After Cheneler's arrest in 2025, the Met's lead for Live Facial Recognition said that the operation wouldn't have been possible without facial recognition. Lindsey Chiswick said: 'The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities. 'This is a prime example of the variety of uses for LFR. The tool is not only used to find those wanted, but also to stop people on a watch list who have conditions they must adhere to. 'These interventions are crucial. Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm.' Detective Constable Adam Pearce, who led the investigation, added: 'This is a prime example of how the Met is using technology to remove dangerous offenders from our streets, and Live Facial Recognition remains an important tool in protecting Londoners. 'Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it's possible if he hadn't been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child. 'Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter, were both taken advantage of by Cheneler who abused their trust.'
