Starting in the Wick area on Tuesday this week, Crimestoppers leaflets will be dropping through letterboxes across the region.
The leaflets are designed to encourage residents, who don’t wish to ring the Police directly, to contact Crimestoppers to report crime related concerns or criminal activity, anonymously.
Crimestoppers are a highly successful UK charitable organisation, supporting Police initiatives across the Scotland, England and Wales.
Since Crimestoppers started taking your anonymous calls in 1988, they have received; more than one million calls with useful information which have led to:
87,385 people being arrested and charged with offences including murder, rape, drug dealing, burglary, robbery and theft – over 600 people alone with murder
£103million of stolen property being recovered
Drugs with a street value of over £159million being seized
Clearly, your call does make a difference!
Since the Most Wanted website was launched in November 2005:
Over 1,600 appeals have been featured
400 suspects have been arrested and charged (one Most Wanted arrest every other day)
25% of these arrests resulted from the information given by members of the public
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Jim Ferguson Chair of Highlands and Islands Crimestoppers said:
“Our towns and villages across Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross remain safe places to live and work. Let’s keep them that way.
It would be preferable, if everyone within the community was willing to stand up and be counted but, if for any reason, you do not want to give your name we will understand. You can still give the information anonymously.
We must work together if we want our towns and villages to remain one of the safest places to live and work in Scotland.
Notwithstanding this however, we cannot ignore that in certain areas a small number of individuals are intent on committing crimes of an anti-social nature, vandalism, disturbance, domestic violence & drug dealing and continue to conduct themselves in an anti-social manner, which can often occur when alcohol and drugs are involved.
Recently, cases of rented Highlands’s property were reported in regional newspapers as being used for Cannabis Factories. This examples the creeping menace of organised crime.
The message is clear, we must all work together to disrupt and deter those intent on such behaviour.”
Crimestoppers only want to know what you know about crime, not who you are.
The type of information needed is:
Names, ages, addresses
What they are doing and when
What cars or vehicles being used
Where proceeds of crime are being stored
Any information which would help catch the criminals
Maybe you’ve seen or heard something about a crime but don’t know what to do or would you say something if no one knew it was you?
Are you scared to come forward and be a witness?
Are you worried about what might happen to you if you talk to the police?
If you feel like this, it’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do…
Crimestoppers is available for you to make your community a safer place to live.
Anonymity makes the difference and the promise of anonymity has never been broken.
Talking to an advisor helps provide the full picture and makes sure the best use can be made of your information.
Remember, Crimestoppers is an independent charity and not part of the police. If you wish to pass on information about crime anonymously
Please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
HELP US TO HELP YOU
Jim Ferguson – Chairman – Highlands & Islands Crimestoppers
REMEMBER IF YOU SEE A CRIME BEING COMMITTED
PLEASE TELEPHONE 999 IMMEDIATELY AND ASK FOR POLICE…
PREVENT A CRIME OR HELP US CATCH A CRIMINAL
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This is very welcome news for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.
If people are too scared to contact the Police directly for fear of reprisals or intimidation then the opportunity to call Crimestoppers is always available. Working together to deter those who are intent on such behaviour should in the long run assist the Police to track down and deal with crime not only in the towns, but also rural areas.
My family and I live in a rural area and we have experienced first hand violence, intimidation, threats, assualt and the theft of our little Westie ‘ Creagan.’
It is uplifting to know that Jim Ferguson the chairman of Highlands and Islands Crimestoppers said, “It would be preferable if everyone within the community was willing to stand up and be counted, but if for any reason you do not want to give your name we will understand.”
I hope this message will encourage many people to come forward knowing that their anonymity is assured!