A woman was left “fuming” after being erroneously accused of stealing toilet paper and ejected from two Home Bargains stores in Greater Manchester, UK, due to an apparent mix-up with a facial recognition system designed to prevent shoplifting.
BBC News reports that Danielle Horan, a makeup business owner, found herself in a distressing situation when she was escorted out of Home Bargains branches in Salford and Manchester, without initially being given any explanation for her removal. It was later discovered that Horan had been falsely accused of stealing approximately £10 worth of items after her profile was added to a facial recognition watchlist used by the stores.
The incident unfolded on May 24, when Horan visited the Home Bargains store on Regent Road in Salford. As she was shopping, the store manager approached her and asked her to leave, causing Horan to feel embarrassed and confused in front of other customers. Despite her protestations, the manager advised her to contact Facewatch, the retail security firm that provides the facial recognition technology, directly.
Horan’s attempts to reach out to both Facewatch and Home Bargains initially proved futile. However, when she visited another Home Bargains store in Fallowfield, Manchester, with her 81-year-old mother on June 4, she was once again surrounded by staff and told to leave the premises as soon as she entered the store. This time, Horan stood her ground and demanded an explanation for her treatment.
After persistent emails to Facewatch and Home Bargains, Horan finally learned that there had been an allegation of theft involving approximately £10 worth of toilet rolls in early May. Somehow, her picture had been circulated to local stores, alerting them not to allow her entry. Horan checked her bank account and confirmed that she had, in fact, paid for the items in question.
Eventually, Facewatch responded to Horan, stating that a review of the incident showed she had not stolen anything. The firm acknowledged the distressing nature of Horan’s experience and noted that the retailer had since undertaken additional staff training. However, Horan’s ordeal had already taken a toll on her mental well-being, causing anxiety and stress as she questioned her actions and felt sick to her stomach for a week.
Hellbound and Down 