In a groundbreaking development, artificial intelligence (AI) has helped solve a cold case that had stumped authorities for nearly three decades. Richard Burrows, a Prolific Child Predator who went on the run in 1997, was finally tracked down and sentenced to 46 years in prison after Cheshire Police employed AI technology. Burrows had committed a series of child sexual abuse crimes while working as a housemaster at a Cheshire boarding school and as a scout leader in the West Midlands from the late 1960s to the 1990s. Following his escape from the UK, many of his victims lost hope that justice would ever be served. However, AI’s involvement has now closed this long-standing case.
AI Facial Recognition Technology Leads to Breakthrough
The breakthrough came in 2024 when Cheshire Police turned to a website utilizing facial recognition technology to help track down Burrows. The fugitive had evaded capture for 28 years, and previous investigative efforts, including those by Crimewatch UK and Interpol, had yielded no results. However, by using the PimEyes facial recognition tool, detectives were able to find Burrows in a matter of seconds. PimEyes is a publicly accessible website that uses AI to scan the internet for similar images based on uploaded photos.
Cheshire Police uploaded Burrows’ mugshot to the platform, and it quickly returned multiple images from his retirement party in 2019, confirming his location in Thailand. One identifying feature that stood out was a blemish on Burrows’ face, which matched an image from the event. This Prolific Child Predator lead ultimately allowed authorities to pinpoint his whereabouts and confirm that he was still alive, living abroad in Thailand.
The Power of AI in Modern Investigations
PimEyes, a relatively obscure website created in Poland in 2016, is not a specialized tool for law enforcement but instead functions as a “face search engine reverse image search.” The site allows anyone to upload photos and track where they appear on the internet. While the tool is publicly available, its use by Cheshire Police represents a remarkable instance of AI technology contributing to solving a major criminal case.
Burrows’ arrest marks a significant achievement in the evolving role of artificial intelligence in law enforcement. The case highlights how Prolific Child Predator AI can be used in unexpected and innovative ways, even in difficult-to-solve cases like this one. It also underscores the potential of facial recognition technology to track down individuals who have evaded justice for years, demonstrating the growing influence of AI in modern investigative practices. With Burrows now behind bars, many are recognizing the pivotal role that AI played in bringing an end to a decades-old mystery.
