Japanese AI Software Can Detect Shoplifters Even Before They Steal

A Japanese startup announces it has succeeded in developing an AI software capable of analyzing footages from surveillance cameras to detect suspicious behavior and then prevent shoplifting even before it happens.

The software called VaakEye is a product of Japanese startup Vaak was first tested in a convenience store in Yokohama, Japan back in December 2018. In its first trial, VaakEye was able to detect a shoplifter. It was an 80-year-old man who was later arrested by the police after stealing a hat from the store.

Recently, VaakEye has been put into test in more stores around Tokyo. The company plans to have it used in about 100,000 stores across Japan in the next three years.

Ryo Tanaka, Vaak’s founder, believes that his company’s AI system will be an effective tool in getting rid of criminals from society.

He said while recalling the first time VaakEye successfully detected a shoplifter:

VaakEye uses a complex algorithm and has been trained with more than 100,000 hours of footage from surveillance cameras. The system analyzes over 100 different traits of one person, from his face, clothes, overall behavior, movement, his suspicious behavior in the store, to macro-data such as the location of the store or the weather conditions.

IT Media report that since December 12, 2018, VaakEye has helped caught a minimum of 7 shoplifters and reduced 75% of overall shoplifting cases.

However, VaakEye is not designed to assist police in catching the suspect after they have committed a wrongful act, but rather help store owners prevent the shoplifting intentions from happening. For example, after the software gives out a warning, the staff can approach the suspect and ask if they could help with anything. By doing this, the suspected would feel alerted and might give up his intention.

Besides its current purpose, Vaak is planning on improving VaakEye by adding a few more functions, including analyze customers’ interaction with different products, detect terrorism or suicide attempts.

Tanaka said: