Local Campaigns
Crimestoppers is not just about Urban Crime
Criminals don’t just operate in towns & cities and Gloucestershire Crimestoppers has joined in the fight against rural crime.
Gloucestershire is a county of 1041 square miles and ¾ of that land mass is used for agriculture.
Randall & Payne Chartered Accountants, supported Crimestoppers by mailing a leaflet to the farming community encouraging them to report theft, damage and suspicious people, and incidents in the countryside and on their land.
Members of the rural community may have information about crime in their area, but may not wish to come forward or give evidence against the suspects in court. By calling the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 number or passing information on the online form, they can remain totally anonymous.
Darren Stevens, Vice Chairman of Crimestoppers said “support of this kind from the business community is vital for Gloucestershire Crimestoppers and enables the charity to spread the message throughout the entire county”.
Since its inception in 1995 Gloucestershire Crimestoppers has received nearly 14,000 pieces of actionable information which has resulted in over 1100 offenders being arrested and charged.
In addition, £490,350 worth of stolen property has been recovered and £192,289 worth of drugs has been recovered.
To discuss financial contributions and ways in which you can support Crimestoppers, please contact Julia Richardson (Crimestoppers Co-ordinator) using one of the followng methods:
Email: Julia.Richardson@gloucestershire.police.uk
Call: 01452 752056
09/03/2011
Read our latest Crimestoppers leaflet.
Press release 07/04/2011
Nightsafe & Crimestoppers tackling crime together
Cheltenham Nightsafe funded two Police horses in Cheltenham Town during Race Week and helped promote the Gloucestershire Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 number to encourage members of the public who may be reluctant to come forward to report crime.
The horses and their officers, on loan from Avon & Somerset Constabulary, helped police the town centre at night to help deal with the influx of extra visitors as a result of the race festival.
Jonathan Carr Chairman of Gloucestershire Crimestoppers said: “We welcomed the opportunity to strengthen our link with Nightsafe during race week. Indeed, many of the pubs and clubs in the Nightsafe membership scheme are already familiar with the Crimestoppers charity. Often people witness crime and are reluctant to come forward and report it. This may be because they fear reprisal or do not wish to give evidence in Court. By ringing Crimestoppers they can pass information anonymously and no-one will ever know”.
Jimmy Elias (Chairman of Nightsafe) said,”Licensees in Cheltenham endeavour to operate to high standards, as it makes the Town Centre safe and enjoyable to visit. We do not condone violence in any fashion and support anything that addresses the problem.
Crimestoppers help us keep the Town safe by enabling the public to pass information to the Police which enables them to take firm action, so we are delighted to support them.” Crimestoppers is a well-proven tool in the fight against crime. In 2010/11 in Gloucestershire we have received 869 calls about crime which have resulted in 68 suspects being arrested and charged and 89 detections. In addition nearly £15,000 worth of drugs and over £8,500 worth of property has been recovered.
Photograph shows from the right. Jonathan Carr, Chairman, Gloucestershire Crimestoppers, Jimmy Alias Chairman of Nightsafe and Trevor King, Community Safety & Licensing Manager, Cheltenham Borough Council
Festive Drinks –Christmas Double Warning
Drink drive over Christmas and you could be moments away from causing a lifetime of misery, or at the very least spending the New Year pleading your case before a jury.
That is the warning from Gloucestershire Police and Crimestoppers in their crackdown against drug and drink drivers, and offenders involved in drink related crime.
The 0800 555 111 Crimestoppers number is being publicised widely encouraging people to call and anonymously report people they suspect of driving under the influence of alcohol or committing alcohol related crime.
Insp Keith Fagan, of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Road Safety & Traffic Management Department said:
“It is encouraging that Gloucestershire drivers are getting wiser about drink driving and its dire consequences. However, we would like to see a further drop in the numbers of younger drivers”
From April-Nov 2010 figures show that 54 members of the Gloucestershire public called Crimestoppers with information on drink drivers. This information resulted in 16 arrests, charges and detections.
The campaign is also asking people to be more drink aware and avoid alcohol related crime. One punch thrown in a moment of anger can devastate the lives of both victim and attacker.
Even if you claim you never meant to cause serious injury, you could be charged on that basis, and find yourself trying to convince a jury there was no malice in your actions.
Anyone convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, could face life imprisonment. Grievous bodily harm without intent carries a maximum five year sentence.
Posters and cards depicting the image of a fist and carrying the “one punch” message featuring the Crimestoppers number are being circulated to bars and restaurants around the county.
Crimestoppers cracks down on counterfeiting in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire Crimestoppers in conjunction with national Crimestoppers launched a campaign this week to tackle counterfeiting and raise awareness of the more serious links it has to organised crime.
This Countywide campaign also hopes to raise awareness of some of the other problems associated with counterfeit goods including defective goods and the effect the sale has on the economy, in relation to unpaid revenue and diverting trade from legitimate traders”
In October 2010 alone Trading Standards seized 600 DVD’s including explicit unclassified pornographic material. In addition 19,800 cigarettes were taken along with 15.5kg of illicit hand rolled tobacco. Other goods discovered include over 50 bottles of suspected counterfeit spirits and nearly 1000 cans of lager.
Martin Bruton, Consumer Advice & Community Development Manager, said: “With Christmas approaching and the recession hitting hard, there is often a greater temptation to buy fake goods, however few understand the consequences and serious implications behind counterfeiting. Last December alone Trading Standards seized over £35,000 worth of Designer clothing, UGG Boots, aftershave & perfume and football memorabilia”
In a recent You Gov survey, 27 per cent of people questioned in the South West said they had bought an item believing it was authentic only to later find out it was a fake.
Darren Stevens, Gloucestershire Crimestoppers Board Director said: “Christmas is a time when many are trying to find ways to minimise their expenditure. I would urge the public not to be tempted to buy fake goods which can harm our community. The consequences are far wider than the simple transaction. It can fund serious crimes such as human trafficking and drug crime which can harm our community.
He continued:
“Anyone with information about counterfeiting or counterfeit goods should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the online anonymous form on www.crimestoppers-uk.org. With the publics help we can make big steps in cracking down on this type of crime in Gloucestershire”
The national campaign is being run with the support of the Home Office, Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), Bank of England, Film Distributors Association (FDA) and Pentland.
A dedicated microsite - www.fakesfundcrime.org.uk has been produced which has information on each strand of the campaign and information about the serious organised crime links, harmful affects, fraudulent activity and videos.
Posters and beermats will also be distributed to pubs and clubs in the County.
From April - Sept 2010 Gloucestershire Crimestoppers received over 500 actionable (useful) pieces of intelligence which resulted in over 30 arrests.
These figures prove that Crimestoppers is a valuable tool in the fight against crime, and by calling the number local people can make a difference to their community.
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 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.
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