Connect - Winter 2016

ISSUE 17 WINTER 2016

FACES OF CRIMESTOPPERS

of Most Wanted, New Faces at the Bureau, + 10Theyears people we help, Regional News and lots more.

www.twitter.com www.facebook.com /crimestoppersUK /crimestoppers www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

WINTER 2016 | 1

CONNECT

Welcome to the Winter 2016 edition of Connect, which throws a spotlight on the people behind our Charity.

We are an anonymous organisation but we are certainly not faceless. Since Crimestoppers was launched in 1988, thousands of people have crossed our path and, in one way or another, they have all made an impression.

Hear from our Trustee Bill Griffiths, whose relationship with us stretches right back to the very beginning, to new Call Centre Agent Paul Stevenson, who joins us from Surrey Police.

This edition also includes rare insights from those whom we have helped in the past six months – including brave rape victim, Kaylee Wildman, who, wanting to bring her attacker to justice, waived her anonymity.

Read about our supporters – from our valued corporate partners whom we run campaigns with, to the members of the public who are fundraising to help us tackle crime across the country.

Lastly, we have also invited two of our Volunteer Chairmen to write about how their dedicated committees are making a real difference in the fight against crime in their local areas.

Crimestoppers would not be what it is today without these people and the countless others, past and present, who have helped to shape and mould us over the years.

I hope you enjoy reading this.

Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers

Marking 10 years of Most Wanted

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Suffolk school children are taught how to be Fearless

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Published by: Crimestoppers Trust PO Box 324 Wallington SM6 6BG Editor - Hannah Mouland

The people we help

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10

Fundraising: The London Marathon 2016

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Designer - Mike Fraser www.iconcur.co Crimestoppers is a registered Charity and a company limited by guarantee.

CONNECT | ISSUE 17

internationalnews

Successes for Operation Captura and Operation Return Operation Captura

T

he last few months have seen three successes for Operation Captura – with one arrest and sentencing within two weeks of each other, and another arrest at the end of 2015.

Michael Roden, from Redditch, was captured on November 4 by Guardia Civil officers at an address in Alomartes, Andalucia.

The 25-year-old was one of seven people apprehended for allegedly belonging to a criminal organisation involved in drugs trafficking, possession of firearms, money laundering and forgery.

House searches uncovered 30 kilos of cannabis, drug packaging material, several firearms, high-value vehicles, €85,000 and £600.

The 48-year-old worked with other criminals in the UK to import up to three tonnes of cocaine, worth hundreds of millions of Euros, into Europe.

Dennis fled back to the UK from Spain last year after his face was featured on a mobile digital screen that was touring popular tourist hot spots on the Spanish Costas and he was quickly arrested by the National Crime Agency.

On November 18, Anthony Dennis, from Ongar, Essex, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 13 years and four months in prison for the role he played in a major international drug smuggling operation.

Simon Dutton, from Bolton, was apprehended on December 27 in the Greek city of Thessaloniki following a joint operation by the NCA and Hellenic police.

Dutton, 39, was wanted

Operation Captura postcard designed to help find criminals hiding abroad.

Above: Captured criminals Michael Roden, Anthony Dennis and Simon Dutton.

Operation Return There was also a success for Operation Return in September last year when one of the fugitives handed himself in to police after five years on the run.

Convicted drugs trafficker James Tarrant had been arrested by the Metropolitan Police in 2009 after an investigation uncovered cannabis blocks, two kilos of cocaine, a handgun, ammunition, body armour and £5,000 at a house in Waltham Abbey.

The 66-year-old, from Essex, fled while on bail but was later convicted in his absence and handed a 14-year jail term.

Tarrant’s face was added to Operation Return in June 2011.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

for allegedly being part of an organised crime network which attempted to smuggle cocaine worth around £1.6 million into Britain.

He was detained on a European Arrest Warrant and, at the time of publication, extradition proceedings were due to start.

The success of Operation Captura has been quite incredible and I commend all those at Crimestoppers, the NCA and the Spanish authorities for their tireless work in locating these individuals.

Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC

He was finally apprehended last year after walking into a police station in Breda in the Netherlands.

Tarrant is the ninth individual to be arrested as part of Operation Return since it launched in 2010, which leaves only five outstanding – we will find them.

Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC

Convicted drug trafficker James Tarrant.

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nationalnews

Marking 10 years of Most Wanted In November we took off on an 800-mile tour of the UK to mark a very special milestone – 10 years of our Most Wanted gallery

D

igital screens broadcasting 74 faces of people sought by law enforcement hit the streets of major cities in England, Wales and Scotland during an action-packed week which resulted in…

11 arrests

103% increase in information about wanted people across the UK

377,352

262

visits to the Most Wanted gallery – up 282% on the previous two weeks

pieces of media coverage, reaching over nine million people

A decade of Most Wanted Most Wanted was launched on November 17 2005 and was, at the time, the first national online source of wanted individuals in the UK.

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The site initially provided photographs and descriptions of known suspects before expanding to include an ‘unknowns’ section of CCTV images.

The aim was, and still is today, to give members of the public the opportunity to give information about any of the suspects to Crimestoppers anonymously.

Most Wanted has proved a huge success. It receives around 30,000 views every month from the public and, to date, the site has featured more than 12,524 faces – more than 3,589 of whom have been arrested.

Most Wanted continues to be a useful tool for all of the

UK Police Forces and wider law enforcement agencies.

Most Wanted appeals to the nation’s ‘arm chair’ detectives – those who want to help fight crime from the safety of their own home and, above all else, anonymously.

“It was quite groundbreaking when it first launched as the first national online source of wanted individuals and it continues to be an important tool for UK law enforcement today.

Mark Hallas, CEO of Crimestoppers

CONNECT | ISSUE 17

Most Wanted Anniversary Tour: Our Diary Campaign start in Westminster, London.

17th November

Angela Parker in

Gary Murra y with the special anni versary cake .

Glasgow.

W

e kicked off our campaign today in Westminster at Old Palace Yard with our Director of Operations Roger Critchell, who was joined by City of London DCI Pete Digby as well as the Metropolitan Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Paul Johnson and Detective Superintendent Craig Turner.

At the same time, North West Regional Manager Gary Murray started his tour off with police cars, horses, dogs and a very special cake at the Greater Manchester Police headquarters.

Scotland’s National Manager Angela Parker was also busy in Glasgow where another screen was broadcasting the faces of individuals wanted by Police Scotland.

18th November

19th November

20th November

AM: Our van arrived at Tesco Extra in the middle of Slough this morning and was joined

by Julia Hughes, Regional Manager for Crimestoppers in the South East.

We were also delighted to have support from Thames Valley Police’s LPA Commander Simon Bowden, Inspector Nikki Pierce and PCSO Luke Healey. The van was certainly a point of interest for passers-by, some even posed with our selfie frame.

AM: We arrived in a very cold and wet Bristol but it didn’t dampen the spirits of our West Country Regional Manager Gordon Chisholm, who was on hand to speak to the media about Most Wanted. After an hour in the rain we finally decided to move on and the van took off around Bristol with our very own tour guide, Gordon. He planned out a route that meant we were able to hit the busiest parts of Bristol and make sure that as many people as possible saw the screen.

AM: Birmingham was first on our list this morning and we headed down to the High Street – close to the famous Bull Ring.

Many thanks to Sharon Moseley, West Midlands Regional Assistant; Emily van der Lely, Regional Manager; and volunteers Paul, Dave, Nosheen and Nelam - they all came to support and hand out leaflets.

A special thanks also to West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, who came down to show his support.

PM: We were told by Hampshire Constabulary that Craig Ham had been arrested.

Success! His face was replaced with Liam Byres, wanted in relation to burglary, just before the screen hit Southampton.

Volunteers as well as Hampshire Constabulary’s PC Carol Bowers and James Futon joined us at our perfect spot in the centre of the city.

Most Wanted screen in Southampton.

PM: Another success! The afternoon came with news that Byres had handed himself into police after his face appeared in Southampton.

This gave us a bit of a boost as we headed over to Cardiff in South Wales and were greeted by our fantastic committee – Stuart, Terry, Mansel, Stephen and Eifion.

Our fantastic Cardiff committee.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

PM: After a morning in Birmingham, it was then on to Nottingham where we parked up at County Hall.

After a quick photo with Notts County Council’s Paul McKay, Crimestoppers Volunteer Chair Bruce Cameron, and our East Midlands Regional Manager, Sue Witts, we took our digital van around the streets of Nottingham.

Regional Manager Emily van der Lely.

21st November AM: Freezing temperatures greeted us at Leeds County Hall for the penultimate stop on the tour. Regional Manager Gemma Wilson was joined by Police Sergeant Sophie Hawkswell of West Yorkshire Police.

Despite the bitter chill, the people of Leeds were keen to engage and take an interest in the campaign...

(One week later Kyle Major, wanted by West Yorkshire Police, was arrested!)

PM: The final stop took us to Newcastle where we were met in Old Eldon Square by Detective Inspector Paul Waugh and PCSOs from Northumbria Police, as well as our Regional Manager Dave Hunter and volunteer Phil Routledge. Crowds of people were out shopping and heading to the Newcastle match, which gave us plenty of opportunities to speak with local people and hand out some leaflets.

Thanks to all who spoke to us, took photos and simply stood for a few minutes to see the featured profiles. It was great to engage with so many people.

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New Faces at the Bureau Last year we welcomed a number of new staff to the Crimestoppers Call Bureau, including former Surrey Roads Policing Officer Paul Stevenson. Paul, 51, joined us in October and tells us how he’s settling into his new job as a call agent.

H

e said: “I applied for a job as call agent because although I’d left the police I still wanted to contribute towards the fight against crime and by working at the bureau I feel I’m still doing that. The job also allows me to speak to the public, albeit not face to face, and I enjoy that aspect too.

As a former officer I already knew about Crimestoppers but since starting my new role I’ve found that I’ve learnt a great deal more about the many different services the charity offers - including the Integrity Line, which allows employees to pass on information about

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wrongdoing in their workplace.

My previous experience has certainly been beneficial to me as a call agent, especially when it comes to determining what information the police will find useful and directing callers to other agencies if necessary.

I’m currently dealing with between 20 and 25 pieces of information every day – you never know what the next call will be and that’s the challenge of the job, which I enjoy. Since starting my role I’ve taken information on everything from drugs to firearms, murders and rape.

I know it’s not always easy

I’ve found that I’ve learnt a great deal more about the many different services the charity offers. for members of the public to give information about crime. Although the caller has made a decision to contact us, they are often nervous and hesitant about how much information they feel they want to give. The challenge is to build a rapport with the individual and give them the confidence to talk. I like to take my time with the caller to ensure we get as much detail as possible; this gives police real opportunities to lock serious criminals away.

Crimestoppers is there for people who don’t feel comfortable speaking to the police and I think we provide a really important service.

The public have a chance to stop crime anonymously and I feel I’m helping them to do that.

Without Crimestoppers there may be key pieces of information that are never shared. We provide a means to really disrupt serious criminality and I’m proud to be part of that.”

CONNECT | ISSUE 17

Our Trustees BILL GRIFFITHS CBE BEM QPM, became a trustee in 2005 but his relationship with the charity stretches back to the beginning.

It’s been a real privilege to have worked with the charity all these years and watch it grow into what it is today.

A

s a detective chief inspector at Scotland Yard in the 80s, then involved in planning, I was dispatched to the US with a colleague to research a number of projects and it was there that we were introduced to the concept of Crimestoppers. We could see the potential it had but it wasn’t initially well received when we reported back to senior officers in the UK. The idea of creating a system for the public to give information about crime anonymously was quite radical at that time because many believed it wasn’t necessary – they felt it was the duty of every citizen to cooperate with the criminal justice system.

The idea finally began to get some traction following the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985. Lord Ashcroft submitted a proposal for business to support the police through Crimestoppers and this was welcomed

by Lord Imbert CVO QPM, who was then Commissioner of the Met and is now a trustee of the charity.

With great guidance and support

from fellow trustee Angela Entwistle, we were ready to launch in the capital within six months.

The charity was established in 1988.

BT had provided the free-phone number and Thames TV, Capital Radio and the Evening Standard had all agreed to publicise the ‘Crime of the Week’. A team of Met detectives was ready to take the calls between 8am and 10pm.

And it worked – information that would have taken a week to get through investigation sometimes came through in just one day. Not only was it helping to solve crime it was also helping to prevent it from happening in the first place.

It showed that not everyone finds it easy to do their ‘duty’ and give information about criminals to the police – especially if that criminal is a family member or friend.

The anonymous service took out the fear and made it easier for those people to do the right thing without being compromised.

It worked – information that would have taken a week to get through investigation sometimes came through in just one day.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

Ten years later I found myself liaising with the London committee and working on national developments for the charity.

It was extraordinary to me that this London-based project had so rapidly evolved into a UK-wide initiative. It may have grown through the ITV regions, through police forces or, indeed, by public demand.

Today Crimestoppers is a truly national system with our 24-hour bureau as a single point of contact for those members of the public who want to give information about crime anonymously. I have seen for myself the fantastic work done by our call handlers to carefully mine the very best intelligence from callers who are often distressed and frightened but, nonetheless, determined to see criminals brought to justice and are thankful that Crimestoppers is there for them.

As a trustee I’m still able to have an input with Crimestoppers. It’s been a real privilege to have worked with the charity all these years and watch it grow into what it is today.

I am thankful for the happenchance that provided the opportunity to play a part back in the 80s as well as the privilege of being a trustee.

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fearless

OUR WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENTS We offer work experience placements to students who want to learn more about the charity and how we work.

Yusuf’s Story

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ast year the Fearless team were joined by Yusuf Ali Meerza, who is currently studying for a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Find out about what he got up to during his time with us…

He said: “I’ve always been dedicated to law enforcement and I aspire to work in criminal investigation. I felt work experience at Crimestoppers was a perfect fit for me.

I have to admit I didn’t know a great deal about the charity before I started – I initially thought I’d be aiding national investigations on organised crime and starring on Crimewatch!

But I soon learnt a great deal about Crimestoppers and how the youth service, Fearless, is helping to explore new ways to empower young people to make the right decisions about crime while also researching emerging crime types that could potentially affect young people.

Fearless does not simply state “Do not commit crime”; it really goes out of its way to engage young people in proactive discussion, which is something that I really admire.

As a young person myself, I felt I was able to look at Fearless from the perspective of the target audience. I understand the social problems and dilemmas young people are exposed to, making them even more vulnerable to crime.

During my placement I was able to conduct research and I worked with the team to find ways to improve the service. As part of that I engaged with stakeholders, policy makers, youth workers, police officers and law enforcement professionals to talk about youth crime prevention and share ideas.

The experience was invaluable. I was able to develop practical skills as well as work with professionals with an array of experience.

Thank you to the Fearless team – Chris and Eve – and to former London Campaigns Manager, Regan, who went out of their way to support me during my time in the office.”

Yusuf Ali Meerza joined the Fearless team.

I’ve always been dedicated to law enforcement and I aspire to work in criminal investigation. Work experience at Crimestoppers was a perfect fit.

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CONNECT | ISSUE 17

L to R: Junior Smart, St Giles Trust SOS project founder and development manager; DCI Sarah Shrubshall, Suffolk Police; Antonia Litten, Eastern Regional Manager Crimestoppers; Paul Goodman, Suffolk Fire and Rescue; Liz Newman, teacher at Kesgrave High School.

STAFF AND STUDENT VIEWS ON: FEARLESS WORKSHOPS One pupil told us:

Suffolk school children taught how to be ‘Fearless’ against crime

A

fter the success of previous work carried out in Ipswich, Fearless again teamed up with St Giles’ Trust SOS+ Project - this time to expand the Fearless message into the wider county of Suffolk.

Throughout November and December, workshops were run in schools with 11-18 year olds to raise awareness about violence, drugs gangs and the dangers of carrying knives.

Over 1000 pupils across Lowestoft, Sudbury, Felixstowe, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich were told about how they can safely and anonymously report crime through Fearless.

They also heard a moving and powerful talk from Junior Smart, of St Giles Trust.

Junior, an ex-offender who served a jail sentence for drug related offences, talked about his own experiences and highlighted the choices that are open to those young people who may experience crime.

The workshops were incredibly well received by staff and

students alike.

“You really helped me. My brother is in prison and has been sentenced to 12 years - the same as Junior. Junior came out and has changed his life around and is willing to help other people. He gave me hope to think my brother would do the same. Junior really inspired me and I’m going to tell my brother about him.”

Nigel Brown, from participating school Ormiston Sudbury Academy, added: “The students got involved and enjoyed the experience, and I think will have taken a great deal away from it.

Several of my colleagues were also impressed with the event and commented on it. Thank you again Fearless and Junior from St Giles Trust.”

Suffolk Police’s Chief Inspector Sarah Shrubshall said: “Although we don’t have a significant problem with gangs in Suffolk, we are concerned that children don’t always want to tell the police, a teacher or their parents if they have information about drug dealing, youth violence and knife crime.

“The fear of a criminal finding out that you have gone to the police and being given the label of “snitch” or “grass” can prevent that child from ever saying a word. Fearless removes that concern and gives children a safe alternative to reporting crime in their community.”

Area Commander Ian Bowell, Suffolk Fire and Rescue added:

Fearless Project Coordinator Chris showing how the service works.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

“We want our young people to feel empowered to stand up to crime and speak out if they have information or concerns about crime. This can help to make our Suffolk schools and the community a safer place.”

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feature

THE PEOPLE WE HELP I wanted answers

T

he Penwarden family, from Epsom, Surrey, issued a third-party reward of up to £5,000 through us last year after their haulage business was targeted by arsonists.

A total of 10 of their lorries, as well as a skip lorry, were totally destroyed by fires – caused after the culprits threw flaming objects through the windows.

The family was left devastated by the attack on October 3 2015 and were desperate for answers.

Owner Jayne Penwarden said: “The business was started by my husband and it took a lot of hard work to build.

“When he died four years ago myself and my son took over.

It was a real lifesaver, giving me a reason to get up in the morning.

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“Today we’ve been going for 25 years and it’s not just a business to us now, it’s our life.

“I was absolutely devastated by the arson. I just didn’t know why someone would do that.

“We’re well known in the community, we’ve been here a long time – the attack didn’t make any sense.

“It wasn’t a little thing like a stolen battery or slashed tyre. It seemed like it had been planned and, at first, I was really quite scared. I didn’t really know what to think.

“I wanted answers and that’s why I came to Crimestoppers.

I felt a reward and the chance to give information anonymously would encourage that one person with vital information to come forward.

“It was a really easy process and now we’re just crossing our fingers that we can get some closure.

Over the years we have worked with thousands of people who have been affected by crime – from those who contact us to those victims who need our help appealing for information. As an anonymous charity it can be difficult to show what impact we’ve had. But here we can reveal a few who have agreed to tell us how we’ve touched their lives.

“This has hit us hard, especially financially, but we’ve been determined to get back on the roads pretty quickly.

“We weren’t going to let this incident drag us down so we’ve been borrowing and hiring trucks wherever we can.

“We’ll just keep moving forward and hope that those responsible are finally brought to justice.”

The damage caused by arsonists to the family haulage business.

CONNECT | ISSUE 17

Kaylee Wildman approached us to help catch the man who sexually assaulted and raped her when she was walking home from a night out in Wednesbury, West Midlands, on Boxing Day in 2004. She was just 17 at the time.

I wanted justice

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Brave rape victim Kaylee Wildman.

I hope this shows other victims that there’s no reason to be ashamed or to hide away.

he waived her anonymity to appeal to the public and we issued a reward of up to £5,000 for information.

Kaylee, now 28, said: “My life was completely turned upside down.

“Before the attack I was a happy 17-year-old with plenty of friends. I was doing well at school and had plans to be a lawyer.

“It destroyed my confidence and made me feel completely ashamed. I felt like I had to hide away.

“When you’re a victim of sexual assault you should be anonymous but everyone knew it was me and a lot of people even blamed me for what happened – including friends and some family.

“Some accused me of making it up, some simply said it was my fault for walking home alone.

“As a result I moved away from Wednesbury, away from all my friends and family. I also stopped going to lessons. I found it difficult going out.

“I had counselling to help me cope and I remember at first I couldn’t even bring myself to say the word ‘rape’ but, in time, I became stronger. I got back on track with my education and I studied for a degree in criminology, which helped me to understand what had happened to me.

“A lot of time had passed and I thought I was coping but on the ten-year anniversary of the attack I started reflecting on my life and how much it had changed, the realisation came down on me like a ton of bricks.

“I was working for Victim Support as a policy advisor and I was dealing with cases very similar to my own, it triggered flashbacks and I found myself getting incredibly upset.

“I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and I had further counselling to help me cope.

“I changed jobs, to bail accommodation services, and although it meant there were no longer any triggers, I just could not find closure.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

“Although the police had worked really hard on my case, the man who attacked me had not been found.

“It was horrific to think he had not been held to account and he was still out there.

There could have been times when he was sitting on the next table in a restaurant or pub and I wouldn’t have known but he would have recognised me.

“I wanted him to know what he’d done was wrong, that it had almost destroyed my life.

“I came to Crimestoppers because I’d spoken to people who had said that anonymous information from the charity had really made a difference in a lot of cases.

“I thought if we offered a reward and the chance to give information anonymously, it might just spark someone’s conscience.

“I decided to waive my anonymity because I wanted to show the public that I was a real person who had really suffered. I wanted people to know how it had affected me and how desperate I was to find the man responsible.

“It was really scary speaking up for the first time and I think that was because I worried there would be a backlash like I’d experienced at the time of the attack.

“But as soon as my appeal was made public by Crimestoppers the messages of support came flooding in.

“It’s strange to say but I was really shocked – it really restored my faith in humanity and it’s made me feel so much stronger as a result.

“I hope this shows other victims like me that there’s no reason to be ashamed and no reason to hide away. I want them to know that it’s not their fault and that they can find the courage to speak out like me.

“It’s massively important for me to finally put a close to the incident and I feel like I’ve made some positive steps towards this. I still live in hope that justice will be done one day.”

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Our Partners

Businesses recognise that they must do more for themselves to prevent and disrupt criminal activity and ensure a safe environment for their staff and customers. We are currently working with over 40 corporate organisations, helping them to tackle the crimes that affect them. We run joint intelligence gathering and awareness campaigns, share vital information to inform crime prevention strategies and provide internal whistle blowing services. Hear from our partners Esri and FACT about how, together, we are making a difference.

SIMON IMBERT Sales Manager at Esri UK Ltd, who have been a Crimestoppers partner for four years.

Q A

Tell us about your business

Esri is the global leader in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software – and that, to you and I, is the combination of data and maps to help people make sense of the complex world in which we live.

This technology enables us to pin point where and when crimes occur, together with where police resources are. This can be combined with other information, such as demographics, to give law enforcement real intelligence upon which they can act. This all leads to smarter, safer communities.

Q A

How does Crimestoppers support you?

Esri sponsor Crimestoppers and the charity uses our software to help collate the anonymous information it receives.

We also work together to gain a better understanding of the various UK police services and other law enforcement agencies.

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Q A

What has the partnership achieved?

A few areas stand out really. Firstly, the Esri software has offered real benefits to the charity’s Contact Centre, where all information is received from the public. Our technology has also been used by Crimestoppers for marketing purposes, to boost general crime awareness campaigns.

For one, the cannabis cultivation initiative, a map was produced to visually demonstrate the increase in intelligence as a result of the campaign.

Esri also supported Operation Captura with a Story Map which caught the attention of national press and was featured by the Daily Telegraph. In 2013 the interactive map created for the Crimestoppers ‘Tweetathon’, gave a snapshot of the 1,000 pieces of information the charity receives from the public on a daily basis. It served to identify crime types and the location of information at county level. This campaign was

incredibly successful, leading to a UK Social Media Award nomination in October 2014.

Q

Tell us about a memorable moment in your partnership with Crimestoppers

A

During the cannabis cultivation campaign, we used a heat map to convey how many farms were discovered in each area. Some members of the media thought that the colours indicated the actual heat generated by the farms rather than the density of farms in a specific area – much to the amusement of all concerned!

We also work together to gain a better understanding of the various UK police services and other law enforcement agencies.

CONNECT | ISSUE 17

development

KIERON SHARP Director General of the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), who partnered with Crimestoppers in July 2007.

Q A

Tell us about your business

FACT was established in 1983.

We are the UK’s leading trade organisation established to protect and represent the interests of our members’ Intellectual Property (IP). We work closely with law enforcement agencies, industry and other partners, including Crimestoppers, to combat all forms of piracy. Our members include global and UK film distributors, TV broadcasters and sports rights owners.

Q A

How does Crimestoppers support you?

FACT and Crimestoppers partnered to help the public report film/TV piracy quickly, easily and, most importantly, anonymously.

People don’t feel comfortable reporting piracy, therefore it is vital we

Rewarding Partnerships T

he exemplary surroundings of the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery within the British Museum welcomed Crimestoppers and some key corporate stakeholders for our annual Rewarding Partnerships event in November.

Hosted by our Chief Executive Mark Hallas, the annual occasion is an opportunity for us to thank our partners for their support over the course of the year, while generating new business and discussing plans for 2016.

On welcoming those in attendance, he said: “You are genuinely giving a voice to those too afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation or retribution.

Your support is generously made, warmly received and is helping to make a real transformative difference.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

offer a service where they can speak freely and anonymously 24 hours a day to help stop this criminality. The intelligence we receive from Crimestoppers greatly contributes to our work at FACT. It allows us to start new investigations and fill intelligence gaps in on-going investigations. The partnership is essential in providing us with an enhanced intelligence picture.

Q A

What has the partnership achieved?

One of the biggest threats to the film and TV industry at the moment is the sale and use of Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) boxes – a device which connects to the Internet and allows you to illegally access hundreds of premium TV channels, films and sport. We’ve had intelligence from Crimestoppers about this specific

“I firmly believe that the security and well-being of communities is a key part of the Corporate Social Responsibility process and vice versa. By helping yourselves you are helping others and that’s a win-win situation we must exploit together.

Jane Macleod, General Counsel for the Post Office, spoke at the event about the positive work that her organisation has carried out in partnership with us, especially our work to protect the elderly and vulnerable.

She said: “Seeking to protect the vulnerable and elderly in our communities is fundamental to our

Jane Macleod and Mark Hallas spoke at the event.

issue which helped us to launch an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of an individual who was making hundreds of thousands of pounds from the illegal enterprise.

A large number of IPTV devices were seized and forensically examined by FACT, the investigation is still ongoing.

Q

Tell us about a memorable moment in your partnership with Crimestoppers

A

In 2015 FACT received close to 700 intelligence reports from Crimestoppers, 1 in 10 of these went on to form part of an investigation; 75 percent of these cases were related to online crime.

ethos. Victims are being conned out of hundreds of pounds through postal, telephone and online scams and this was something we had to tackle.

“Campaigns aimed to raise awareness amongst the elderly and vulnerable of the types of scams targeted against them. We used billboards, posters and leaflets dropped to local care homes, and the partnership was successfully promoted through TV, radio and local newspapers.”

The event saw around 80 guests in attendance, with representatives present from industries including energy, rail, retail and banking.

Crowd enjoying the wonderful setting of the British Museum.

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fundraising

It’s not only an opportunity to set a new record but also raise awareness for two amazing charities.

Police Constable Beth Perkins.

Crimestoppers fundraisers 2016

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undraising is a vital source of income which helps us to keep up the important work Crimestoppers does across the UK. We know raising money is not always easy but our fundraisers have often gone above and beyond for our cause and we’re incredibly grateful to them for that.

Two people who really have impressed us with their efforts recently are Lancashire Constabulary’s former Inspector John Clucas and new Police Constable Beth Perkins.

The pair is taking on the London Marathon this year to raise money for us and the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund – a charity set up in memory of the Greater Manchester constable who was murdered alongside her colleague Fiona Bone.

Not only will they be

taking on the 26.2 mile course – they’ll be attempting to set a new world record by running handcuffed together.

And, to top it off, the pair will be dressed as cop and robber – Beth with catburglar mask and swag bag and John in an original 1980s police constable uniform, similar to the one he wore with Lancashire constabulary 33 years ago.

John, 53, said: “Crimestoppers and the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund both mean a great deal to me. While I was with the police I worked very closely with Crimestoppers to find wanted individuals, and information provided by them helped to make many arrests.

“The PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund is also incredibly important to me and to members of the police across the UK. “It hit us all very hard when she was killed and I think it’s because it made us all realise how anyone of us could have been in that situation.”

Beth, 26, added: “It’s not only an opportunity to set a new record but also raise awareness for two amazing charities.”

The Crimestoppers team will be at the marathon in April to cheer John, Beth and all of our runners home.

Mark Hallas, CEO of Crimestoppers, said: “We are delighted that John and Beth have chosen to fundraise for us – the money will help us to continue to keep communities safe

from crime across the UK.” Bryn Hughes, founder of the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund added: “We are extremely grateful to John and Beth for taking the time and effort to train and enter the London Marathon for both Crimestoppers and the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund.

“It’s not easy to train and run a marathon and they deserve all the support possible. Good luck to them both and thank you.”

You can help John and Beth’s fundraising efforts by donating here www.justgiving.com/ Policechase/ To find out more about Crimestoppers and the London Marathon visit the website www.crimestoppers-uk. org/get-involved/ london-marathon/

John Clucas in training.

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Visit crimestoppers-uk.org

and

VOLUNTEER TODAY

WELCOMING new faces

We’re pleased to announce new appointments at the charity

ANNIKA ALLEN DIGITAL MANAGER

DEREK TERRELL

Annika has more than 13 years of experience working in publishing, events and digital communications.

As an early adopter of the digital revolution and new media channels, she has worked with companies from multiple sectors including the BBC, Channel 4, Lewisham Council and Google. Annika graduated from The London College of Communications with a BA (Hons) in Journalism and has interviewed acting legend Idris Elba as well as pop superstar Janet Jackson.

She joins Crimestoppers from music youth charity Urban Development.

Following a successful management career with a range of large corporates, Derek moved to the voluntary & charity sector in 2010 where he has since worked as a Volunteer Manager and Youth Worker.

He is an active volunteer himself and has previously volunteered at London 2012, the Tour de France, Tour of Britain, European Athletics Championships as well as with a variety of youth organisations and the elderly.

VOLUNTEER MANAGER

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

NICOLA ROADNIGHT BROOKS INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT CO-ORDINATOR

JO PATRICK TRUST MANAGER

Nicola is no stranger to Crimestoppers. She began as a call agent nine years ago before becoming office co-ordinator for the bureau in 2012.

Her new role is the first of its kind within the charity and is set to develop in the next few years with the potential for a team to join her. Her responsibilities include researching and providing detailed statistical information regarding sector and business crime for our corporate partners. She also researches Crimestoppers data to identify crime types, trends and emerging issues. Nicola also supports the campaigns team, providing statistics for project research and evaluation.

Jo comes to Crimestoppers with experience of working in a variety of Trust and Major Giving roles across the Charity and Third Sectors.

With a background in fundraising and business development, she has experience of managing large financial targets, developing strategies for growth as well as promoting and employing best practice cultivation, stewardship of donor relationships and project delivery for beneficiaries. Jo graduated in 2008 from the University of Nottingham with a BA (Hons) in Geography and Business and has subsequently completed postgraduate studies in social work and social policy at Durham University. In her spare time Jo enjoys practicing and teaching Ashtanga Yoga.

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Our Volunteer Chairs We have a network of over 600 volunteers who are integral to our work across the UK. With a wealth of experience and knowledge in different industries – from marketing to fundraising and law enforcement – they play a vital part in crime-reduction at a local level. There are currently over 40 different volunteer groups across the country, each is headed up by a chairman who has the important role of motivating and supporting their group as well as offering guidance and direction.

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ony Butler CBE QPM is a former chief constable who joined the Gloucestershire committee as Chair in 2014. But he was no stranger to the charity; as a former member of the ACPO Crime Committee he helped support the development of Crimestoppers in the 1990s.

He said: “When I took on the role in 2014 I was impressed by the quality and commitment of the volunteer members of the board. It was also good to meet up with former work colleagues who attended our meetings on behalf of the Gloucestershire Constabulary. As a Chair, I’ve made sure that we all work together.

“One of my first actions in the role was to put forward a case for appointing a regional manager for Gloucestershire who would support the board with their work in the county – from campaigning to raising funds.

“I was delighted when Crimestoppers recruited Emily van der Lely to the role last year. With a full time member of staff we have seen activity increase and there are now new challenges on the horizon.

“As a Chair, I feel it is important for volunteers and staff to work closely together and I’m always looking for ways to do that effectively and efficiently.

“Increased activity brings with it demands on the time of the volunteers and it’s not always possible to fulfil every commitment.

“But Emily’s energy and commitment has certainly helped us. We are very enthusiastic and keen to take advantage of new opportunities to develop Crimestoppers in Gloucestershire.”

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Stuart Rawlins - Volunteer Chairman for Crimestoppers in Essex, speaking at a recent Chair’s Away Day.

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tuart Rawlins was editor of the Essex Chronicle when he joined Crimestoppers as a volunteer in the county in the 1990s. He took up the Chair position five years ago.

He said: “Volunteer Chairman is a leadership role and, in that respect, it’s quite similar to the position I had as editor and director with the Chronicle series.

“Chairs are responsible for a range of tasks: administration, recruitment and ensuring volunteers work together.

“There’s also a strategic element to the role because I’m always looking for opportunities that may crop up for us in the future. Planning ahead is vitally important for us.

“Being a Chair is important because you help to make a committee but the committee also helps to make the Chair.

“In Essex we’re lucky enough to have members who bring a wealth of experience from marketing to criminal justice.

“Our volunteers are always looking at how we can take new opportunities by building relationships with key partners like community safety partnerships (CSPs) and other organisations committed to keeping the county safe.

“This is what led volunteer Colin Dobson to create the very successful Ambassador Programme, which is so simple but really has the potential to promote our service within hard-to-reach communities. It’s also an educational tool and a means to prevent crime happening in the first place. I’m proud that Essex developed this project, which has now been taken up in other areas across the UK. “Our successes are a result of the great rapport between the group, everybody works well together.

There are a handful who have a contagious commitment and enthusiasm; this spreads, particularly during meetings when we’re discussing ideas, and this can produce really positive results.”

Members of the Gloucestershire committee including Regional Manager Emily van der Lely (third from left), and Chair Tony Butler CBE QPM (far right).

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regionalnews Yorkshire

TACKLING BURGLARY IN LEEDS

One of Amy and Megan’s winning poster designs.

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rimestoppers in Yorkshire has teamed up with the University of Leeds after recent figures revealed a quarter of burglaries in the city were committed against students.

Students were invited to submit ideas for an innovative campaign

which would encourage the public to give information on the perpetrators and be more vigilant when it came to securing their property.

The winners were friends Amy Woodward and Megan Chown who impressed with their eye-catching artwork that used movie quotes to engage their peers. Their idea will now be launched in the city.

Amy said: “We thought the campaign competition would be fun and it was a really worthwhile cause because burglaries are high in the area and, as students, we could relate to this – especially with reminding people to lock their doors.

Megan said: “Raising awareness of calling Crimestoppers is important as even if you call up about something that seems insignificant it might actually be part of a bigger picture.”

Gemma Wilson, Crimestoppers’ Regional Manager for Yorkshire, added: “Megan and Amy’s idea was fantastic and thoroughly engaging. It was fun and visually attractive and we knew as soon as we saw it that other people

would want to know more about the campaign.

“For many students, going to university will be the first time that they are living away from home, away from the security of their family and friends. We don’t want them to then fall victim to crime and feel even more vulnerable. They should be able to enjoy university life and live without the fear of crime.”

The campaign has had the full support of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark BurnsWilliamson, West Yorkshire Police and BACIL (Business against Crime in Leeds).

Mr Burns-Williamson, said: “The message that Crimestoppers is spreading is a very important one – so many burglaries could be easily prevented. By working with students the charity is making sure the message has the maximum impact possible, helping students to realise how they can take measures to protect themselves and others.”

Leicester

LEICESTER TALENT SHOW A HIT FOR FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW

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ompetition ‘Leicester’s Got Talent’ proved as popular as ever, returning for its fourth year in November.

The show, organised by Leicestershire’s Volunteer Chairman Romail Gulzar, is a chance to celebrate the city’s talent while also promoting the work of Crimestoppers.

Around 25 dancers, singers, poets and musicians took part in the event, which is open to anyone aged 8 to 25.

But of the various acts, there could be only one winner: eight-year-old Azeezah Zampaladus.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

We were wowed again this year by the mixture of such talented young people.

She has had a book published called ‘Guess What?’ which contains true stories from her life and had the audience giggling and gasping throughout the short passage she read.

Speaking after her win, Azeezah said: “I feel nervous because I’ve won, and I didn’t know I was going to win, it makes me feel happy that I’ve won, I don’t think I’m going to show off.”

The two runners-up, coming first in the Musician category, was Jatin Naidu, a very talented Saxophonist, and 21-year-old Tabassuma Akramul, who won the dance category.

Romail said: “We were wowed again this year by the mixture of such talented young people, all showing great confidence to be on stage.”

Bill Cullen, Regional chairman for Crimestoppers, added: “Our annual Leicester’s Got Talent event is now nationally recognised as a great way of showcasing the talent of local communities and promoting engagement in the work of Crimestoppers.”

Winner Azeezah Zampaladus (centre) and runners up Jatin Naidu and Tabassuma Akramul.

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regionalnews L to R: Julia Hughes with reps from police & fire and rescue and Cllr Ken Pugh, Kent PCC Ann Barnes, Sgt Jason Hedges, Kent Chairman Peter Rolington.

West Country

RECORD DONATIONS AT WEST COUNTRY FESTIVE FUNDRAISER

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est Country Crimestoppers raised record funds at their annual Christmas Dinner – collecting more than £16,000 to help continue the work of the charity in the region.

The huge boost in donations came after Barclays Bank generously offered to match fund £8,000 the committee raised through an auction and raffle on the evening.

Gordon Chisholm, West Country Crimestoppers Regional Manager, said: “This was an absolutely fantastic result. We raised over £8000 after auctioning and raffling some fantastic prizes that were very generously donated by local businesses, including the Bristol Hippodrome and the Colston Hall. That was a pretty good effort but it was made even better when

Gordon Chisholm and the Barclays Bank team at the annual Christmas Dinner, where the charity auction raised £16,000.

Barclays very generously agreed to match fund it.

“These extra funds are particularly welcome this year because in March we will be running our second ‘What Would You Do?’ project. We will be working with eight different schools from East and South Bristol to help raise awareness of reporting crime anonymously through Crimestoppers, every penny helps.”

The dinner, held in Bristol, was attended by over 140 guests including Deputy Chief Constable, Louisa Rolfe; Alderman Peter Main, from the Lord Mayor’s office; John Smith, Chief Executive from the Police

and Crime Commissioner’s office and Mark Hatcliffe, Community Leader for Barclays Bank.

Joy Simmonds from Barclays Bank added: “It was a great night and thanks to all the volunteers who took part from branches across Bristol including Chippenham, Trowbridge, Broadmead, Kingswood, Nailsea, Clevedon and Weston Super Mare.

“We are delighted to be able to give something back to the community. It’s fantastic that all the money raised will go straight into another project that is helping children find a way to stand up and fight crime.”

CRIMESTOPPERS SCOTLAND TELLS PUBLIC ‘IT’S YOUR CALL’

Part of the Crimestoppers Scotland print campaign.

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In November Crimestoppers Scotland launched its very successful ‘It’s Your Call’ campaign.

The aim was to promote the charity’s service, encourage more people to contact us with information about crime and show what a difference we make.

In 2014/15 Crimestoppers passed

on over 10,000 pieces of information to Police Scotland.

As a result of this, 367 individuals were arrested and charged; 35 guns knives and other ammunition were seized and £223,000 worth of drugs found.

Campaign activity saw a digital advertising van broadcasting the

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Kent

SPIKE IN INFORMATION ABOUT CRIME DURING CAMPAIGN ON ISLE OF SHEPPEY

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e saw an 85% increase in information about crime during Kent Crimestoppers’ first ever campaign on the Isle of Sheppey.

In December last year the Chair of Kent committee, Peter Rolington, visited the island in a bid to encourage residents to speak up if they had information about crime and criminals.

A digital screen hit the streets promoting the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 number and Anonymous Online Form. It also broadcast the faces of some of Kent’s ‘Most Wanted’ individuals, listed on Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted website www. crimestoppers-uk.org/most-wanted.

During the activity, we saw an 85% increase in information from residents on Sheppey and Kent Police made six arrests.

Julia Hughes, South East Regional Manager for Crimestoppers, said: “It is clear that islanders are actively working to keep crime out of the Isle of Sheppey. The information from Sheppey accounted for 9% of the total information received for the whole of Kent.

campaign artwork on a 13ft screen as it toured through Glasgow and Edinburgh. The van also visited areas including Govanhill, Possil and Gorbals in Glasgow as well as Craigmillar in Edinburgh and posters with the Crimestoppers call to action were put up in 30 telephone boxes.

Angela Parker, National Manager for Crimestoppers in Scotland, said: “We wanted to let the Scottish public know that they could do something about crime, they could help make their

www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1

communities safer.”

Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, added: “We need to spread the message that if you see or suspect a crime being carried out, pick up the phone – don’t ignore it or hope someone else reports it. Whether it is someone breaking into a house or someone being attacked, we all have a responsibility to report that crime.

“Crimestoppers plays an important role by helping people do just that. By contacting

“Our campaign is about empowerment and ensuring residents know, understand and trust they can speak up safely without revealing their own identities.”

The campaign was delivered in partnership with Kent Police and Swale Borough Council. It also had the support of Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes.

The committee also promoted Crimestoppers’ work through our social media channels with the support of local law enforcement as well as wardens and Fire and Rescue services.

Mark Button, from Kent Police, said: “Local intelligence is vital in our fight against crime. Whether people speak directly to us, local wardens or anonymously to Crimestoppers, we take that information seriously.

I hope that the public continue to come forward throughout this campaign and beyond.”

Cllr Ken Pugh, cabinet member for community safety and health at Swale Borough Council, added: “The Isle of Sheppey is a wonderful, close-knit community and these results reflect the community’s determination to help keep their island safe.”

Crimestoppers individuals help prevent, detect and solve crime.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling crime in Scotland by working with a range of partners, including Crimestoppers, to make Scotland’s streets safer”.

By contacting Crimestoppers individuals help prevent, detect and solve crime.

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