Facial recognition software helped track down a suspect in a theft at a Lowe’s home improvement store.
Jason Vincent Saunders, 43, of Summerfield was arrested earlier this month on a warrant charging him with theft.
Saunders entered the store on U.S. Hwy. 441 in Lady Lake on Dec. 4 and was caught on surveillance stealing a DeWalt ratchet wrench valued at $249, according to an affidavit of probable cause from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. He had removed it from a secured cabinet, took off the packaging and hid it under his clothing.
A loss prevention officer used Lowe’s facial recognition software and connected the man who stole the wrench to a previous theft at the store. The officer was able to pick out Saunders as the suspect in a photo lineup put together by the sheriff’s office.
Saunders was previously convicted of retail theft in 2013 and in 2014 in Lake County. He was also convicted on theft charges twice in 2013 in Marion County.
He was taken into custody and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center. A hold was put on his custody by the state of Ohio.