LED screens used to deter shoplifters

LED screens are helping to reduce crime in a US shopping centre.

Digital LED boards have been placed in the Staten Island Mall, in New York, in order to discourage people from shop lifting.

Figures published by the Daily News reveal a nine per cent increase in cases of shoplifting as compared with last year.

The LED screens display images of shoppers who have been caught stealing at the centre and it is hoped that this will prevent further thefts from taking place.

Up to five shoplifters currently have their faces beamed from the boards for 15 seconds at a time.

Dan Donovan, district attorney for Staten Island, intends to display photos of thieves who shoplift at the centre during the festive period.

“I wanted to do something just to warn people who might have ideas about shoplifting,” he told the Daily News.

“With economic times hard, more people might consider doing this. We just want people to be forewarned.”

A wanted criminal was caught by the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently when a member of the public recognised the man from his photo which was shown on an LED screen, Fox 13 reports.