CrimeStoppers Boost

20 May 2011, 14:12 | Updated: 20 May 2011, 14:16

Kent Crimestoppers has achieved a 59% per cent increase in actionable information over the last year of April 2010 - March 2011. This equates to 1735 anonymous calls. With this valuable information which has been passed on to the authorities, 284 criminals have been arrested in Kent; this is a significant increase over last year (53%).

Giles Brealy, Chairman, Kent Crimestoppers said: "A huge thank you must go to the people of Kent for using the charity to pass on information about crime and Criminals. We're extremely proud that Kent Crimestoppers continues to play such a vital role in helping to make our local community a safer place to live. I'd like to reassure everyone that our service is completely anonymous and in the 23 years that the charity's been running, no one has ever been identified.  The service is run for you, the public, to help you make your community a safer place".

The success of Crimestoppers this year could be attributable to a number of reasons but the two main ones are: Firstly, People are generally fed up with the minority who are spoiling their quality of life and their communities so are picking up the phone to try and clean up their areas. Crimestoppers still remains the best option for some people because it is anonymous, we can guarantee that no one ever knows who told us;

Secondly, by working in Partnership with Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, KCC, all local Councils and the Borders Agency, the last year has seen Kent Crimestoppers lead a number of high-profile campaigns to tackle crimes affecting the County including the following: Illegal Drugs, Vandalism, Domestic Abuse, Burglary, and Counterfeit Goods which has meant that our number has remained in the public eye. People do trust our number and for those that cannot talk to the authorities for whatever reason, Crimestoppers is the answer."

Alan Pughsley, Deputy Chief Constable of Kent Police said: "I am very pleased to see the continuing success of Kent Crimestoppers and that, thanks to local people reporting information to them, a large number of criminals have been arrested.

"We rely on information from communities in Kent and I fully appreciate why some people wish to remain anonymous. Kent Crimestoppers does an excellent job and we are grateful to them for the work they do."

Nationally, the charity has achieved a one per cent increase in actionable information and a ten per cent increase in the number of people arrested and charged as a result of information passed to Crimestoppers. This shows that the quality of information Crimestoppers has received during the past year has been of high quality, whilst there is only a one per cent increase in information, many more individuals have been arrested as shown by the ten per cent increase year on year.

Crimestoppers operates the 24/7 0800 555 111 telephone number for people to pass on information about crimes anonymously.  Information can also be passed via the charity's website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.