Auror Launches Advanced Facial Recognition to Tackle Retail Crime

Published Date : 11/4/2025 

Auror, a leading provider of retail crime prevention technology, has introduced a new facial recognition solution called Subject Recognition. This tool aims to enhance store safety by identifying high-risk individuals before they can cause harm. 

Auror, a New Zealand-based company specializing in retail crime prevention technology, has launched a groundbreaking facial recognition product named Subject Recognition. This new solution is designed to help retailers combat violent and organized retail crime by identifying known risky individuals as they enter the store.

The development of Subject Recognition was announced in September, marking Auror's entry into the facial recognition technology (FRT) market. The tool allows retailers to integrate their data on serious repeat offenders with advanced FRT, enabling real-time alerts when high-risk individuals enter a store. According to Auror, the system is built with strict safeguards to ensure it is used solely for crime prevention and safety.

Phil Thomson, CEO and Co-founder of Auror, emphasized the company's commitment to privacy and ethical use. “Subject Recognition is designed with privacy at its core and cannot be used for tracking, monitoring, or profiling people,” he stated. “We prohibit retailers from entering sensitive information such as ethnicity, race, and religion, which helps reduce human bias, improve evidence-based decision-making, and enhance privacy.”

The tool works by instantly discarding biometric data and images that do not match a retailer’s list of known offenders. Even when a match occurs, biometric data is never stored, and human oversight is required for all decisions. This aligns with Auror’s mission to use technology responsibly and prevent crime in an evidence-based manner.

Auror describes itself as a platform that helps retailers prevent crime, reduce loss, and make stores safer by transforming frontline intelligence into actionable insights. According to the company’s U.S. retail data, one in seven incidents involves violence or threatening behavior, with just 10 percent of repeat offenders responsible for over 70 percent of retail crime. These individuals are more than four times more likely to be violent, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Subject Recognition is part of Auror’s broader Risk Detection suite, which also includes Vehicle Recognition. The company’s “50 in 5” mission aims to help retailers reduce violent retail crime by 50 percent within five years. “The retail sector is one of the largest workforces globally, with a significant number of young and female workers,” Thomson noted. “This technology is about protecting these vulnerable frontline workers by preventing violent and threatening retail crime incidents.”

Last November, Auror raised US$48.7 million to fund its global expansion and enhance its public safety technology. The company’s lead investors include Axon Enterprise Inc., W23 Global, and Reinventure. This funding round raised Auror’s valuation to an estimated $297 million. Auror’s solutions are currently available to enterprise retailers in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and the United Kingdom. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is Subject Recognition by Auror?

A: Subject Recognition is a facial recognition tool developed by Auror to help retailers identify high-risk individuals entering their stores, thereby enhancing safety and preventing crime.

Q: How does Subject Recognition ensure privacy?

A: Subject Recognition is designed with strict privacy safeguards. It does not store biometric data, and human oversight is required for all decisions. Retailers are also prohibited from entering sensitive information like ethnicity, race, and religion.

Q: What is Auror's '50 in 5' mission?

A: Auror's '50 in 5' mission is to help retailers reduce violent retail crime by 50 percent within five years through the use of advanced technology and crime prevention strategies.

Q: Who are Auror's lead investors?

A: Auror's lead investors include Axon Enterprise Inc., W23 Global, and Reinventure. These investors have helped fund the company's global expansion and technology improvements.

Q: Where are Auror's solutions available?

A: Auror's solutions are available to enterprise retailers in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and the United Kingdom. 

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