Rape suspect arrested in Manchester thanks to live facial recognition
Vans have been out in Piccadilly Gardens over the last two days
Last updated 31st Jan 2026
Greater Manchester Police say they've arrested a man on suspicion of rape thanks to a hit on live facial recognition cameras in the city.
Vans have been out in Piccadilly Gardens on Thursday and Friday this week, scanning more than 40,000 faces over the two-day operation.
A 26 year-old man remains in custody for questioning on suspicion of rape, harassment and coercive control offences.
He had been wanted in connection with a rape in Salford in September 2025 and a domestic incident in Oldham in May last year.
He's also being questioned on suspicion of theft.
It marks the fourth arrest thanks to the live facial recognition technology over the two days this week.
They also included a man on suspicion of theft, another man wanted on recall to prison and breaching sex offender notification requirements, and a final man on suspicion of theft offences.
The force says they've been using LFR since October 2025, with 20% of arrests being for registered sex offenders and three-quarters of suspects being charged with offences.
At one of the most recent deployments, a local man, was caught in Piccadilly Gardens and has now been charged with 36 offences.
Inspector Jon Middleton said: “This is exactly why we have been using LFR - to keep our communities safe, catch wanted suspects and make sure people are adhering to their court conditions.
“This proactive approach allows officers to intervene more quickly before suspects can commit further offences, reducing the risk to the public.
"We will continue to deploy across Greater Manchester to support our neighbourhood policing teams."