Local Campaigns
- Award-Winning Crime Prevention Campaign Launched
Thursday June 17, 2010
An award-winning county-wide crime prevention campaign was officially launched for the summer of 2010 at Brockworth Garden Centre this morning, Thursday June 17.
Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Defensive Gardening Campaign, which is supported by Crimestoppers, was created in 2009 and aims to help gardeners identify which plants and gardening techniques can be used to help protect their homes.
Crime Reduction Officer for Gloucestershire, Paul Francis, said; “We are overjoyed that due to the campaign’s success last year it won a national award from Secured by Design that included a grant to fund the campaign, and more besides, over this summer.
“I think people would be very surprised to learn how effective the techniques the campaign advocates can be. We would encourage homeowners to visit one of the garden centres or nurseries involved or contact one of our crime reduction officers to learn how these purchases from garden centres can help you protect your home.”
Some people are reluctant about certain home security purchases as they can be unattractive but an impenetrable hedge is just as effective as security fencing and looks far more attractive. Spiky shrubs around vulnerable windows can serve as a deterrent to those tempted to break in and small purchases from a garden centre such as shed alarms and dawn to dusk lights can go a long way to helping deter thieves.
In total 39 garden centres and nurseries across the county are supporting the 2010 campaign and visitors to these stores will be able to pick up a leaflet, produced by Crimestoppers, which give top tips to help beat the garden burglar and include a comprehensive list of prickly plants.
Crimestoppers board member Darren Stevens said; “The purpose of this partnership and campaign is to highlight the point that you can do things to make it less likely that you will fall victim to crime. Plants can play a part as they can make access and exit to/from your property more difficult for a potential burglar and therefore make your property a less attractive target to criminals. In the same way that good locks, a burglar alarm or timer lights can all play a part.
“This and other campaigns like it provide the opportunity to promote Crimestoppers and the 0800 555 111 number, that allows people to pass information about crime anonymously to the Police. Crimestoppers have contributed to the funding of this initiative and are prominently promoted on the leaflets, helping to raise awareness.”
Paul Francis concluded; “We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of the garden centres and nurseries involved for their support. We would also like to thank Crimestoppers and Secured by Design for awarding the campaign funding to allow it to continue.”
More information about the Defensive Gardening campaign, a comprehensive list of the types of prickly plants to purchase and a list of the Garden Centres involved can be found here.
Too Much Bling - Give Us A Ring
The public are being encouraged to help hit criminals where it hurts - in the pocket - with a new campaign being launched in Gloucestershire today (May 12). The “Too Much Bling” campaign, being run in conjunction with Crimestoppers, urges people to report their suspicions of anyone they believe is living a lavish lifestyle on the profits of crime.
The Proceeds of Crime Act means that criminals can have their dishonest gains confiscated from them.
During 2008/9 Gloucestershire Constabulary, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts confiscated nearly £1.8million from convicted criminals and removed a total of £1.4 million in ill gotten gains. The money gained is all fed back into the criminal justice system to finance further investigations.
Chief Constable Dr Timothy Brain said: “In the current time of financial uncertainty, those who live a lavish lifestyle with no discernable, legitimate income become even more apparent.
“By flaunting their ill gotten gains criminals signal contempt for everyone who works hard, and act as very poor role models for the younger members of society.
“There are certain members of the criminal fraternity for whom a prison sentence or some other form of court punishment is not a sufficient deterrent.
“Many criminals, including drug dealers and burglars, prize the trappings they have gained far more than their own liberty, and, having no need to get a legitimate job, are unconcerned by the impact a criminal record will have on their career prospects.
“Under the Proceeds of Crime Act we, and the Crown Prosecution Service, are determined to tackle those elements within our communities who blatantly benefit from the misery of others.
“We hope the public will support our efforts to do so by ringing Crimestoppers with their information and thank Crimestoppers for joining with us in this campaign.”
Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS Gloucestershire, said: “Together we have had incredible success over the last year in taking the profit out of crime and this campaign marks a call for all members of the public to assist in ensuring that crime really does not pay in Gloucestershire.
“With the evidence that comes from good intelligence, we are able to restrain all of an individual’s cash and bank accounts, their home, vehicles, electrical items and jewellery. Then following a successful prosecution we are able to take back the proceeds that they have accumulated from the last 6 years of crime.”
John Cripps, Crimestoppers board member, said: “We are very pleased to be able to assist with this campaign and can assure all callers to Crimestoppers that their anonymity will be guaranteed, if that is their wish.
“I hope members of the public in Gloucestershire will do all they can to assist the police and CPS in tackling those who profit from crime to the detriment of the law abiding members of our society.”
Keep your Sat Nav Safe
Sav Navs are the most common item stolen from cars in the UK and even if they are not on display in the vehicle thieves notice tell-tale signs such as power leads, mounts and ring marks.
They will then break a window to see if the Sat Nav is in the glove box, boot or under the seat.
Keep your Sat Nav Safe with these tips from Crimestoppers:
• Always remove all evidence of the SAT NAV
• Remove the mount and clean the sucker ring mark
• Remove the power lead
• Take the SAT NAV with you
• Mark the SAT NAV with your post code in case it is stolen
• Note the serial number, make and colour
• Park your vehicle in a well used, well lit area and covered by a CCTV camera if available
• Remove other valuables
It is easier to take these few simple steps than to have the inconvenience of an insurance claim or expensive repair bill, broken glass everywhere and being without your sat nav or even your car for sometime.
Crimestoppers Celebrate Success at the C&G Cheltenham Cricket Festival
Gloucestershire Crimestoppers, the only charity helping the Police to fight crime, is celebrating 13 years in the county at the C&G Cheltenham Cricket Festival this year by sponsoring a match ball on the third day of the Gloucestershire v Leicestershire Match on Friday 8th August.
Cheltenham & Gloucester, Cheltenham Cricket Festival sponsors, are one of the original supporters of Gloucestershire Crimestoppers. Thirteen years ago, when the Gloucestershire Constabulary and the Crimestoppers Trust decided to introduce the initiative into the county, Cheltenham & Gloucester provided the practical and moral support to get the project off the ground.
Crimestoppers allows people to pass on information about any crime, without having to give their name or any personal information. Their phone call can also not be traced.
983 arrests have been made as a result of information passed to Crimestoppers since the introduction of the scheme to Gloucestershire in 1995. That is 983 arrests that would not have been made if people had not been able to use the 0800 555 111 telephone number to pass information on crime anonymously. Police have been able to take action on over 12,293 calls received from vigilant members of the Gloucestershire community and over £654,000 worth of goods and property has been recovered.
Crimestoppers is a valuable tool in helping us reduce crime in the county. Hopefully by sponsoring this match ball we can remind people of the Crimestoppers number so that we can continue working with the public to keep our streets safe.
Throughout the day PCSOs and Police staff from Cheltenham & Tewkesbury will be available on the Police exhibition stand to speak to the public about the Crimestoppers scheme and how it works. Literature and promotional material will be distributed to anyone interested in finding out more about the crime-fighting telephone hotline.
Crimestoppers and Starline Taxis Work Together to Tackle Cigarette Litter
An employee from Gloucestershire’s largest taxi company, Starline, is working with Crimestoppers to tackle cigarette litter in Cheltenham.
Rob Bates has purchased 100 cigarette disposers that he will be distributing and installing completely free of charge to businesses in the Cheltenham area to keep the streets clean. They can be installed free to any businesses that want one, such as pubs, nightclubs and shops.
Each bin will display Starline Taxi’s information and also the Crimestoppers phone number, which allows people to pass on information about any crime, without having to give their name or any personal information. Their phone call can also not be traced.
Paul Francis, Gloucestershire Police Crime Reduction Officer said; “It’s incredibly commendable that a member of the public has given their time and money to keeping the streets of Cheltenham clean.
”Hopefully by working with Crimestoppers these bins will not only keep cigarette litter off our streets but also remind people that they can report any crime completely anonymously to Crimestoppers.”
If you would like to have one of these installed outside your company please call Rob Bates at Starline Taxis on 01242 250250.
Crimestoppers Launches Campaign to Tackle Metal Thefts
Gloucestershire Crimestoppers has launched a campaign aimed at helping to tackle metal thefts in the county.
The campaign, which involves the distribution of publicity material, aims to raise the profile of this growing area of crime and encourage the public to report information on offenders by ringing 0800 555111.
Metal theft has been on the increase in Gloucestershire in recent years, with 2007 seeing a 25 per cent increase in offences compared to the previous year.
We have made a significant number of arrests for these offences, but we still need to encourage the public to report their suspicions on whoever is responsible for these offences to us.
People ringing Crimestoppers can be confident that all information is dealt with anonymously, and cash rewards are even on offer.
We also aim to raise awareness of the issue through our campaign, so that people can take precautions to safeguard their own property from this ever more prevalent crime.
Premises targeted by metal thieves include churches and other religious buildings, where lead is predominantly stolen, electricity substations, where copper wiring is taken, housing developments, where copper piping is taken, and industrial estates, which are targeted for scrap metal.
The campaign asks for information on:
- Who the thieves are
- Who is trading in illegal metal
- When and where crimes are likely to take place
- Where are illegal materials being kept after they are stolen, and by whom
Anyone with information on the above should ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. To report a crime in progress please dial 999.
Drug dealers don't care - do you?
Police in Gloucestershire are urging people to phone Crimestoppers with information on drug dealing and make their towns and villages safer for everyone.
Officers have teamed up with Crimestoppers to launch the Drug Dealers Don't Care - Do You? initiative to find out more information about criminals in each division.
Shock 'granny ' and 'needle' poster images designed to encourage those who see them to call the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 number will be displayed in shops, businesses and community buildings across the county.
Thousands of leaflets will be sent out by the Safer Community Teams and officers and PCSOs are delivering them personally to homes in areas where they believe residents could provide the most useful information.
Thousands of leaflets will be sent out by the Safer Community Teams and officers and PCSOs are delivering them personally to homes in areas where they believe residents could provide the most useful information.
The Drug Dealers Don't Care campaign is designed to increase the awareness of the 0800 555111 Crimestoppers number and to empower members of the community to report information knowing they can remain anonymous.
The posters encourage people to pass information on about drug dealers, and those involved in street and car crime.
We believe the majority of these offences occurring are due to a small group of persistent offenders. If people can provide us with information about them, which helps lead to their arrests, then we have no doubt that crime rates in the area could drop significantly.
We believe there are people in the community who will know the individuals we are talking about and can provide us with the information we need.
We would urge people not to discount calling us because they think the things they know will not be of much use. Even small bits of information can help us to build up an intelligence picture on a suspect which can lead to their arrest.
Who is in YOUR TAXI?
Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign that targets taxi drivers in an effort to gain more intelligence about criminals operating in the county.
'Who Is In Your Taxi?' is an initiative that has been used by other Constabularies around the country to tap into the knowledge of taxi drivers who suspect they are giving lifts to criminals.
Under the scheme Crimestoppers posters appealing to taxi drivers to call 0800 555 111 anonymously if they have information about suspicious passengers will be put up at taxi throughout Gloucestershire.
And flyers bearing similar information will be distributed to local taxi drivers by Police Community Support Officers.
Insp Nick Holmes, said: "We know that some offenders routinely use taxis and private hire cars to carry out their criminal activities," he said.
"This could be to travel to or from a location where a crime is committed, or to courier stolen property, drugs or other illegal items from one place to another.
"We are hoping this new publicity campaign inspires taxi drivers to use the anonymity offered by the Crimestoppers line to pass on any information they may have about suspicious fares they have taken.
Insp Holmes said such information could include concerns about an individual's clothing or manner, the details of a particular journey or information regarding overheard conversations.
Taxi drivers can be a mine of extremely valuable information by virtue of being around 24/7. The Crimestoppers Board want to make it easier for for them to pass this on by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and remaining anonymous.
Sex Trafficking
Crimestoppers the national charity, has launched a new film online about the disturbing world of sex trafficking. The 'Traffic Signs' film aims to raise awareness of the increase in this exploitative trade and encourage anonymous calls to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The film, which was directed by David Baksh, aims to be non-judgmental and it is shot in a particularly voyeuristic format, in the style of an adult film. It has been distributed via a viral campaign and the strategy is to get men to look at the film online who would normally look at porn or escort websites. They will expect to see more graphic images of women, then view the film and get the message that they can call Crimestoppers anonymously to give information, which will be passed on to the police.
Dr Tim Brain, ACPO lead on Prostitution and Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, said:
"Trafficking victims travel to this country, usually under false pretences, and are forced into a life of vice against their will. They suffer horrific abuse, often being forced to see up to 40 clients a day and trapped in very damaging, kidnap-style situations. Recovering and assisting these victims is always the most important aspect of operational activity.
"Victims are arriving from all over the world, but whatever their origin, whether by aeroplane, ferry, train or coach, they all arrive in the UK by public transport. It is clear therefore, that the success of the preventative aspect of the operation is dependant on the co-operation of the Travel Industry. Assistance from the travel industry in combating what in effect is both modern day slavery and an affront to human rights cannot, therefore, be over emphasised.
"I would like to thank all forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for their continued efforts to stamp out this abominable crime and support it's victims." We are appealing to them to give us information if they are suspicious about women they have seen in these circumstances on 0800 555 111. They will not have to give us their name, or any details about themselves, calls are not traced and they will not have to give evidence in court - we guarantee they will remain anonymous."
David Baksh, who wrote and directed the film, felt compelled to tackle this difficult subject after hearing a news report about an illegal brothel that had been raided. The officer in charge detailed how many girls were kept imprisoned in terrible conditions and the abuse they forced to endure. The police had no idea that the girls were being abused and although the brothel had numerous clients none of them had contacted the police.
David Baksh said: "Seeing prostitutes is not something most men would want to shout about - or stand up in court and testify to. The girls' best hope of rescue and the police's best source of intelligence slinks off and hopes that someone else has the guts to give information. The more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. Men aren't all bad. All they needed was to be reminded to do the right thing and be given the means to do it. Crimestoppers was the obvious solution - anybody calling their 0800 555 111 number has their anonymity guaranteed."
An estimated 1,420 women were trafficked to the UK in 2000. The exact scale of the problem in the UK, in 2006 is unknown. However, we do know that human trafficking is so common now, that it's the third most profitable criminal activity in the world, after illegal drugs and arms trafficking. In Europe we know that around 500,000 people are trafficked every year and the majority of these are women and children who are forced into a life of prostitution.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief inspector Pete Davis, who is the lead for Operation Pentameter in Gloucestershire said: " Sexual exploitation is not acceptable and we will seek to stop this and bring to justice those who are responsible for this crime. We would appeal to anyone who has knowledge of trafficking activity to come forward and tell us. Your information will be treated in the strictest of confidence and you could be saving someone from the misery of slavery and exploitation."
Operation Pentameter has already resulted in 51 arrests in brothels, massage parlours and private residences across the UK. This led to the discovery of eighteen alleged victims who have come from the Ukraine, Brazil, Czech Republic, Poland and Zimbabwe. They range from 15 to 39 years of age. However, the police are convinced that there are many more trafficked women around the UK and are encouraging anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
'Rat on a Rat' - Make Criminals Pay!
RATS - they are everywhere. Scurrying around, hiding in the dark, gnawing away at the heart of communities. Crimestoppers has teamed up with the Cheltenham & Tewkesbury Division to force these criminal rats out into the open.
Information from the public is vital in rooting out those responsible for causing crime and concern in all our neighbourhoods. The RAT on a RAT initiative has been launched to encourage people to pass on information with total anonymity to the Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.
An eye-catching poster campaign, featuring a sinister criminal rat, will be prominently displayed throughout Cheltenham at bus stops, on lampposts, in pubs, community centres and supported by adverts on local commercial radio. A leaflet drop will also take place in areas where police need more information on certain types of crime.
- Which RATS are dealing drugs?
- Which RATS are robbing people?
- Which RATS are breaking into our homes?
- Which RATS drive when drunk/disqualified/unlicensed?
- Which RATS are committing car crime?
All of the areas mirror the Constabulary's own commitments to reducing crime and disorder - Drugsafe, Homesafe, Streetsafe, Carsafe and Roadsafe. Information gathered from the campaign will assist operational police activity in targeting criminals in these areas.
The public play an essential part in our fight against crime and we know people are keen to assist in driving criminals off the streets.
The RAT on a RAT campaign is designed to increase the awareness of the Crimestoppers number and to empower members of the community to report information knowing they can remain anonymous.
The posters encourage people to rat on drug dealers, burglars and those involved in street and car crime. All of these areas are priorities for our divisions and with the public's help we can make sure the rats are caught.
The latest statistics from Crimestoppers for the period January to June reveal that the unit took 522 actionable calls. These calls resulted in 45 people being charged with crimes, including burglary, theft and drugs, and £7,500 worth of drugs being recovered.