UK retailers get 297,433 alerts on repeat offenders
Thu, 9th Jul 2026
Retailers across the UK received 297,433 alerts when known repeat offenders entered stores in the first half of 2026, according to Facewatch data from its crime prevention network.
That equates to an average of 1,643 alerts a day, based on live facial recognition matches in participating shops between January and June. June was the busiest month on record, with 57,111 alerts, ahead of 55,462 in May.
The figures highlight the scale at which repeat offenders continue to target retailers, even as police and businesses step up efforts to tackle shop theft and violence against staff. Each alert is sent when a person linked to previous offending is identified on entering a store, giving staff a chance to follow safety procedures before an incident escalates.
Facewatch is used by more than 125 retailers operating thousands of stores in the UK. Users include national chains and smaller businesses such as Budgens, Frasers Group, Flannels, Home Bargains, Sainsbury's and Sports Direct, as well as garden centres and charity shops.
The company also announced a Crime Management Platform to extend its work beyond in-store alerts. The system is intended to help retailers record incidents, manage cases, and support police reporting and investigations.
One feature will send an immediate alert to police when the most serious offenders trigger a live facial recognition match at a participating shop. Facewatch described this as a first for the UK retail sector.
The latest alert numbers add to a sharp rise over the past two years. Facewatch said its system generated 516,739 real-time alerts during 2025, up from 252,943 in 2024, and that the 2026 total has already reached nearly 58% of last year's full-year figure.
The company attributed the increase to a combination of network growth and persistent offending by repeat shoplifters. Police have also highlighted the role of a relatively small group of prolific offenders in driving a large share of retail crime.
Retail pressure
The data comes as retailers remain concerned about abuse and violence in shops. Facewatch cited British Retail Consortium figures showing 1,600 incidents of abuse and violence against shop workers each day.
The business said its technology has helped deter repeat offending by up to 70% in some cases, while also improving staff safety and morale. That claim could not be independently verified.
Nick Fisher, Chief Executive Officer at Facewatch, said the alert system is designed as an early warning rather than a record of a completed offence.
"An alert isn't a record of a crime that has already happened; it's a vital opportunity for frontline shop workers to consider a safe response to prevent one.
"Each alert warns that someone known for previous offending has entered their store, allowing critical time to follow their company procedures, increase vigilance, and take steps to help prevent a theft or a violent incident.
"As more retailers adopt this technology, we would naturally expect the number of alerts to grow because more stores are able to identify known offenders. But these figures also reinforce what police and the wider industry are saying: the same prolific offenders are continuing to target stores time and time again," Fisher said.
Police reporting
The Crime Management Platform marks an expansion of Facewatch's offering into incident handling and reporting. The company said the system brings together prevention alerts, incident management, and evidence gathering in one process.
Facewatch said the move also reflects its earlier history as a digital reporting tool for businesses sending incident reports to police before it expanded into live facial recognition. It added that it already supports police investigations through formal data-sharing agreements with relevant forces.
Fisher said the company sees a wider role for technology in both prevention and follow-up after offences take place.
"Technology has an increasingly important role to play, not only in preventing crime before it happens but also in helping retailers manage what comes afterwards.
"That's why we're continuing to invest in new capabilities, including a new crime management platform designed to simplify how retailers record, manage, and progress crime incidents from prevention through to reporting and investigation," Fisher said.