A woman wanted for more than 20 years has been arrested during a six-month trial of live facial recognition in south London, reports London Now. She was one of 173 people arrested during a live facial recognition pilot in Croydon, south London, which ran from October 2025 to March 2026. The Metropolitan Police used static cameras on Croydon High Street for the first time during the trial, identifying suspects involved in offences including kidnap, rape and serious sexual assault, as reported by our sister title London Now. Lindsey Chiswick, national and Met lead for live facial recognition, said: "These results show why live facial recognition is such a powerful tool when it’s used carefully, openly and in the right places. READ MORE: - How every London borough voted in the local elections — full results breakdown - Exact dates Tube strikes are set to cause travel chaos across London AGAIN - The upcoming events lined up for 2026 at Wembley Stadium - Best London runs for post-marathon 5k and 10ks "Crime in this area is down by more than 10 per cent and the public can see the difference." Further, according to them, there has been a 21 per cent reduction in violence against women and girls. Among those arrested was a 36-year-old woman wanted for failing to appear in court for an assault in 2004. Other arrests included a 31-year-old man wanted for voyeurism for more than six months and a 41-year-old man wanted in connection with a rape in November in Croydon. Ms Chiswick added: "This technology is helping us find people wanted by the courts, identify serious offenders quickly and focus our resources where they make the biggest impact, all with exceptional accuracy. "We will continue using static cameras in Croydon as part of our regular live