Facial recognition technology is helping Newport’s SportsDirect tackle rising shoplifting incidents effectively
Newport: So, there’s this store called SportsDirect on Commercial Street that’s been dealing with a lot of shoplifting lately. The manager, Lawrence Jones-Hughes, mentioned that it’s been pretty dreadful around there.
To tackle this, they’ve installed facial recognition cameras at the entrances. These cameras can identify known shoplifters. If someone flagged on their system walks in, the staff gets an alert right on their phones.
What’s cool is that the Newport store is linked to another one in Maesglas. So, if a thief gets caught on camera in one store, they’ll be recognized in the other too. But, there’s a catch: the staff only get notified if the person is already on their system.
Shoplifting has been on the rise, with a reported 43% increase in Gwent over the past year. This is the highest rate among all Welsh police areas, according to The Office for National Statistics.
Mr. Jones-Hughes pointed out that this time of year is especially tough, as thieves are stealing items to sell off during Christmas. They’ve also put tags on many products to help deter theft.
Initially, the new security measures didn’t seem to stop the thieves. Just the other day, Mr. Jones-Hughes saw a guy grab some clothes and make a run for it. He tried to chase him but couldn’t catch up.
However, after a few weeks of using the cameras, they’ve started to notice a drop in shoplifting incidents. So, it looks like the new tech is starting to make a difference!