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Computer Glitch Sketches Burglary Suspect with a 'Lettuce Head'

by Amar Toor on September 21, 2010 at 02:10 PM

hampshire police suspect renderingPolice in Hampshire, England are asking citizens to be on the lookout for a suspected burglar who doesn't have neon green hair. The suspect, who is wanted for stealing about $93 (£60) from an elderly woman, was originally described as being in his 40s, with wavy blond-grey hair. But when police used this data to create a computer-generated, E-FIT (Electronic Facial Identification Technique) image of the suspect, the system produced an image of a man with bright green, lettuce-like hair, and with a dumbfounded, "I-can't-believe-I-have-lettuce-on-my-head" expression.

After having endured criticism from local residents, police have now confirmed that the suspect's hair isn't really green, and that his verdant mop was simply the result of a technical glitch in their E-FIT software. "We make every effort to ensure that the E-FITS we circulate are as accurate and detailed as they possibly can be from the description provided by the witness," a police spokeswoman told the Guardian. "This is borne out by the quality and detail contained within the facial features. We are, though, currently experiencing technical problems with the quality of the hair, and are waiting for an upgrade to the system from the company who provides us with the software."

Comical as the rendering may be, police insist that the suspect's E-FIT facial features remain true to the victim's description, and that citizens should still look out for anyone with a similar appearance. "While the hair on this image may not be of the best quality, it takes nothing from the overall clarity of the facial features. It would therefore be wrong to withhold the release of the E-FIT just based on this technical issue," the spokeswoman confirmed. Criminals who actually have lettuce heads, meanwhile, will certainly sleep a lot easier tonight.

Tags: burglar, burglary, crime, e-fit, green, image, images, lettuce, police, suspect, suspects, uk

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