Shoplifter charged after facial recognition operation in Basingstoke
A man was stopped after officers received an alert when he walked past a live facial recognition van
A man that was arrested by officers using live facial recognition technology in Basingstoke has appeared in court after being charged with shoplifting.
Robert Romaine, 58, of Constantine Way, Basingstoke, was stopped after officers received an alert when he walked past a live facial recognition van in The Malls on Friday 27 February.
He was then arrested and charged with theft following a report that more than £420 worth of clothing was stolen from Superdry in Festival Place on 18 July last year.
Romaine pleaded guilty to the offence.
Appearing at Southampton Magistrates Court on Saturday 28 February, he received a fine.
Sgt Martin Smith, from the Live Facial Recognition Team, said: “It has been great to be able to get our vans out in Basingstoke, to help support the local teams target persistent offenders.
“The match that we had has resulted with someone being put before the courts and facing the consequences of their actions, within 24 hours, which is exactly why we are doing this.
“Using the latest technology boosts our ability to tackle the crime that matters most to our communities and stop those who think they can get away with it.
“We had some really positive conversations with businesses in the area who were pleased to see us in their area and asking when we would be back.
“We also had a lot of people coming to speak to us about how it all works.
“We were able to show them just how quickly the biometric data is deleted if there is no match and we found that once we are able to explain it to people, most walk away with a much better understanding of how this can really help to reduce crime in their area.”
Basingstoke Inspector Tracey Purcell said: “This was a successful operation which received a positive response from the public and local community.
“Our teams are constantly looking at new ways to help keep the town centre a safe place to live, work and visit and it’s crucial that we receive the support from the local community when carrying out operations like this.
“Thanks to the assistance of live facial technology, we ended the day with a man heading to court after he was charged in connection with a town centre shoplifting.
“Our officers will continue to be a visible presence in the town centre and do everything they can to help tackle persistent offenders in the district.”