A LOOT accused who had been absconding for nearly 25 years has been arrested by the police using AI tools to trace his whereabouts, an official said on Wednesday. Using a 25-year-old photograph of the accused, the police processed it with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and searched him across various social media platforms to identify possible matches, they said. Samuel was wanted in connection with a Rs 1.75 lakh loot committed in Agra’s Lohamandi area on November 8, 2002, along with two associates, who were later arrested. Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Ali Abbas said Samuel had been evading arrest since the crime and carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. “After the robbery, Samuel disappeared, and despite extensive efforts by the police over the years, no information about his whereabouts could be obtained,” Abbas said. According to the police, investigators only had access to a 25-year-old photograph of the accused.

 

The image was processed using AI and searched across various social media platforms to identify possible matches. “Using AI, we generated probable updated images based on the old photograph and searched social media platforms. We found a photograph resembling Samuel and then examined several linked social media accounts and digital footprints,” the DCP said. During the investigation, police discovered a traffic challan issued in Delhi for a car registered in the name of Samuel’s wife. Using the details obtained from the challan, a police team travelled to Delhi and conducted surveillance for nearly a month before tracking down the accused. Samuel was arrested from the Nangloi area of Delhi on June 1, police said. Officials said that after committing the crime, Samuel frequently changed his identity, names and locations to avoid arrest. “He shifted several hideouts over the years and had been living in Delhi under a changed identity for the past few years,” Abbas said.