Crime

Police Increasingly Using Social Media to Catch Criminals

It may not be the brightest idea for a high schooler to broadcast on their Facebook page about an upcoming house party with underage drinking. Or for a London rioter to Tweet his next target. Or for a sexual predator to solicit sex from a minor on MySpace. But it happens and police are more and more using it to their advantage to catch criminals.

Most notably, London Metropolitan Police and citizens have been using social media to help catch or prevent looters. Police are also encouraging those with photos of looters to upload them on their Flickr site and the tumblr site, To Catch a Looter. Bloomberg reported that Black Berry is helping the police by monitoring messages for sites of potential looting:

“Police have got very extensive monitoring of the Blackberry Messenger model,” Stephen Kavanagh, deputy assistant commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, told reporters today. “A lot of people who are seeing those messages are forwarding them to police” who are “planning for mass disorder again tonight.”

David Lammy, the U.K.’s intellectual-property minister, today called for a suspension of BlackBerry service to prevent its use among rioters to communicate plans, according to a statement from his office. Kavanagh has said technology is being used to organize people and undermine the police, who must adapt their policing style to deal with it.

Catching Criminals With Facebook and Social Media

Photos like this posted on To Catch a Looter are helping police find looters in the London riots. (Tumblr)

Social media sites are also being used to lead a clean up effort. Wall Street Journal reported that within just a few hours of creating the Twitter account @Riotcleanup, more than 55,000 followers had joined; there is a similar page on Facebook.

PC World has been delving more into how police used social media to catch perpetrators in both the London riots and riots that occurred after the Stanley Cup two months ago in Vancouver:

Every one of those individuals who hurt someone, stole something, or destroyed property in London and Vancouver — and anywhere else — made a choice. If social networks are now making more of them live with the consequences of that choice, then they are, in this way at least, making the world a better place.

The NYPD solidified the value of using social media as a tool to catch criminals or stop potential crimes by creating a new online policing unit.

The NY Daily News reports that 23-year-old Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connell and his team will scour Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other similar social media sites for those bragging about their committed or upcoming crimes. O’Connell has already been successful in using the Internet to help catch criminals, which have included those soliciting sex from minors.

UPDATE: Facial recognition technology, which was going to be used in London’s 2012 Olympic games, is currently being used to help catch London rioters and looters.

According to an anonymous official who spoke to the Associated Press, police are running photos through Scotland Yard’s updated face-matching program to catch perpetrators. A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed Thursday that facial recognition technology was at his force’s disposal.

We reported earlier this week about  facial recognition technology loaded on social media sites and privacy issues that have arisen. This type of program was also used in the 2011 Super Bowl and caught 19 criminals entering the stadium.

[H/T Popular Science]

Comments (31)

  • Carol Ingian
    Posted on August 12, 2011 at 9:40am

    Police should be using technology to find criminals. With pictures, they not only get to see what the criminal looks like, but also what they have stolen. Good idea.
    I hope all people preparre in this way, it may help if something happens near our own homes and neighborhoods.

    Report Post »  
  • WalterShumatelives
    Posted on August 12, 2011 at 12:26am

    Dont even have to leave the doughnut shop now!!!.

    Report Post »  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 8:04pm

    Criminal activity at the White House should envoke the cause to deactivate BlackBerry messaging in and around the White House.

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • Dinkiecb
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 5:04pm

    Ok I confess… I DIDN”T DO IT … but all those idiots that did…then bragged about it… or however they got their picture took… should be arrested…. only trouble is … ya just can’t fix stupid!

    Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 1:31pm

    I think this is great. Big dumb jerks get caught stealing because they can.

    Report Post »  
  • Last Sane Person On Earth
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 12:20pm

    ‘like’

    Report Post »  
  • jkendal
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 12:16pm

    Most criminals aren’t too bright to begin with.

    Report Post »  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:55am

    please don’t be colored blind, there are a lot of worthless white people out there doing the say kinda crap. it is not limited to color or age. they are all worthless lowlifes and should be treated as such.

    Report Post »  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:51am

    if anyone remembers hurricane katrina, there we’re those who where more worried about looting stores than saving their own lives, then they wanted help, they formed gangs and started killing and robbing people because there was no police force to enforce the laws{ or they we’re scared } we have seen this before,and it will soon be playing in a town or neighborhood near you soon, this worthless excuses for humans could careless about others property or lives, just about what they can get for free { steal } not caring about the people who lose everything they own, or the business owner who has spent a lot of money just to feed is family and keep the doors open,and who will no matter what have to pay for everything that is stolen from his store and the repairs and higher insurance premiums,or for the people who have to continue paying for a car that is burned to the ground, they could careless that there will be no work or stores open when they have looted and burned them to to the ground,and most important they could careless that people will die, they have no consensus,the left is begging for the london style riots to happen here, and it is coming. the question is are you prepared and are you willing to defend what is rightfully yours and your family,the left don’t care all they want is anarchy at all cost, i would hope that when they start burning and looting and killing people over here, that they will be rounded up and thrown in jail,or just shot on the spot.

    Report Post »  
    • pyeatte
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 5:25pm

      Shot on the spot is better – no repeat offenders.

      Report Post »  
    • Vital
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 5:57pm

      …I am sorry but these animals are not human beings, they will kill you in a nano second. Shoot to kill

      Report Post » Vital  
  • Jack2011
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:49am

    When you are out in public and a private person or news person takes a picture of you (looting) or whatever and posts that picture up where the police and other can try to identify you, I have no problem with that.

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 2:03pm

      My only problem is it’s a slippery slope. If they monitor for criminals, what would stop them from monitoring to see if you’re against the current administration? Why do you think the left is labeling the Tea Partiers as terrorists? The only solution is if you’re smart, you won’t post anything on line about yourself. I imagine all the lefties are searching blogs just like these and tracing everything back to the server, to identify people. In my case, if conservatism convicts you, I have a personal blog as well.

      Report Post »  
    • Wilkins
      Posted on August 12, 2011 at 12:04am

      loriann12 posted on August 11, 2011 at 2:03pm
      My only problem is it’s a slippery slope. If they monitor for criminals, what would stop them from monitoring to see if you’re against the current administration?

      Well everyone should take John Hancock’s position on that, when he made his giant signature on the Declaration, saying he didn’t want King George to have to get his glasses to read it.

      If everyone writes large, maybe they’ll understand.

      Report Post »  
  • TraceyM
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:43am

    Anyway they can catch them is great! They are just a bunch of street thugs and thieves out for themselves. Selfish jerks!

    Report Post » TraceyM  
  • sissykatz
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:33am

    I think it is a good idea to use Twitter to help convict them.I do hope they punish this bunch of thugs and rioters. If they let them get off easy or altogether they will do it again. This is just like L.A. they are not
    protesting anything it is just a bunch of losers doing what they like to do anyway. Hey let’s go and steal
    us some stuff.

    I hope they not only catch the fools but go and confiscate everything in their homes.I would bet only a handful of these people have ever held a job. Most have never paid a penny in taxes, just collected the benefits.They have never owned anything that the Gov. has not paid for or what they had stolen.

    Destructive Parasites………..

    Report Post »  
  • Smokey_Bojangles
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:25am

    Kid in the picture is better off than I am.His Outfit alone is more than what I have invested in my entire wardrobe.I Must be Oppressed.I cant afford a big TV so I guess I should Riot and steal me one,then again I would rather have some food.Cant eat a T.V.Guess I can go on facebook with the BlackBerry I cant afford and start a riot.The U.K. needs to import some Koreans Like We had during the L.A. riots!IF you are worried about privacy,do not use Facebook.Catch these Thugs and Cane them!

    Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
  • nysparkie
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:21am

    I guess the COPS are on here finding out who is a TRUE AMERICAN and who is not. Sorry ROSE_ELLEN. They have your number now.

    Report Post » nysparkie  
    • nysparkie
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:29am

      I may be wrong but, I believe under the Terrorism Communication Bill, the FBI can pretty much write their own warrants for eavesdropping for any form of communication now. Bush signed it. O’Bambam signed it to renew it.

      Report Post » nysparkie  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:08am

    As long as it catches the STUPID saying LOOK WHAT I DID.

    Report Post » banjarmon  
    • cessna152
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:16am

      It is a public forum and (if) you are stupid enough to announce in a PUBLIC forum that is no different than standing in the middle of the mall and shouting out “this is what I stole… take a look at it…”

      Report Post » cessna152  
    • Smokey_Bojangles
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:27am

      Too bad D.B. Cooper did not have FaceBook to brag about his crime on.Idiot thugs deserve to be caught,and beaten.

      Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
  • Thighmaster
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:06am

    “Kavanagh has said technology is being used to organize people and undermine the police” Think about this people, on it‘s face it looks good but what about when there’s nothing illegal going on. There is a whole new can of worms to be opened here. This is scary stuff interfering with the right to congregate. I don‘t agree with the rioting but isn’t this what rulers hate?

    Report Post » Thighmaster  
    • AlansTigg
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 11:17am

      slippery slope…in an emergency things that would not ordinarily be tolerated are actually welcomed…hoping it remains limited to only what’s been done so far and goes back to normal once the animals stop tearing up the city

      Report Post » AlansTigg  
    • 8jrts
      Posted on August 11, 2011 at 12:02pm

      Yeah, the right to peacefully assemble…not the right to converge, beat up and steal.

      Report Post » 8jrts  
  • I.Gaspar
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 10:57am

    I can see the guy in the photo saying “I got this TV through Blackberry for only three years in jail”, like one of the touts for online bidding sites.

    Report Post »  
  • burr99
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 10:52am

    I think it’s nice. Hoist by their own patard, as twer.

    Report Post »  
  • AlansTigg
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 10:51am

    considering all the negative contributions of social networks, nice to see big positive one

    Report Post » AlansTigg  
  • Captain Crunch
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 10:50am

    Twitter…like a singing bird..snitching out fools 24/7.

    Report Post »  
  • Oh My God
    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 10:42am

    Whatever it takes to get these people off the streets.

    Report Post »  

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