Facewatch launches free tool for retailers to log shoplifting incidents
Facewatch is testing a new platform called Facewatch Live that lets retailers record incidents, store evidence and analyse crime data at no cost. The service can be used alone or alongside the company’s live facial recognition system, and police will also have free access. Facewatch said the tool is intended to help shops spot repeat offenders and build stronger cases against prolific thieves.
Facewatch started in 2010 by helping shops pass crime reports to police in a form officers could use. In 2018 it turned toward prevention through live facial recognition. Budgens and Sainsbury’s are among its retail customers.
The firm reports 81,988 alerts from that recognition system in September 2026, a fifth successive monthly peak, compared with 55,462 in May. Facewatch Live is under trial as a free standalone option or beside the recognition product, with police access also free.
Free incident logging could help smaller retailers with limited budgets document repeat theft and give police clearer evidence, potentially improving responses to local crime. Staff and shoppers may benefit if stores feel safer. Yet pairing such data with facial recognition may raise privacy and misidentification concerns for people flagged by the system, so uptake and safeguards will shape its social impact.