Robber arrested after Facebook suggests the victim adds him
"People you may know."
People know people. It's how Facebook works. Now it's a random force for good, helping to track and convict a thief in Birmingham in the UK. Omar Famuyide was spotted on the social network's "people you may know" feature by one of his victims, after which UK police connected him to multiple robberies and firearms offenses. The BBC reports that he was jailed for 17 years for robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm and possession of a knife.
Facebook's "people you know" feature not only digs into your friends and their connections, but also lighter connections in the network. It'll also use your work or education information, as well as location and your Instagram account, to sniff out possible new BFFs... or people who have wronged you. Detective constable Rhiannon Daff said the Facebook tip was "a crucial part of the investigation" and "the final piece of the jigsaw" -- not quite as easy a case as the Lucozade Bandit.
