Crimestoppers ‘Captura' campaign leads to arrest in Spain

[9th December 2006]

Crimestoppers confirms the arrest in Spain of Anthony David Simmons, who was featured on our Most Wanted website and was wanted in connection with the importation of 568kg of cannabis resin from Spain to the UK.

The offence occurred on 7th November 2004. This arrest is the first success of Crimestoppers ‘Operation Captura' campaign, to find wanted UK criminals living in the Costa del Sol and bring them back to the UK's criminal justice system.

Simmons was arrested by the Spanish authorities on 3rd December in Spain. Crimestoppers has no more details on the circumstances of his arrest and will not release any further information to protect the anonymity of our callers.

As a result of this success Crimestoppers today announces details of 10 new appeals for wanted criminals in Spain.

Mick Laurie, Chief Executive of Crimestoppers, said: “This success shows the impact that the public can have on helping to reduce crime and we are grateful for their support and interest. There are no hiding places for these criminals and I would encourage anyone in Spain who recognises these criminals to call Crimestoppers safely and anonymously on 900 555 111 no one will know you called, except you.”

Crimestoppers is the UK's only independent charity helping to solve crime. The charity launched the first ever campaign to target UK criminals living on the Costa del Sol on 31st October. The three-month pilot project ‘Operation Captura' identifies serious criminals wanted by UK law enforcement agencies for crimes committed in the UK.

Crimestoppers is working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British law enforcement, Spanish law enforcement, Telefonica and the British Embassy in Madrid.

Crimestoppers has received over 125 pieces of useful intelligence on wanted criminals which is being passed back to the police in Spain.

The campaign encourages anyone who recognises the wanted criminals on its website www.mostwanted-uk.org to call Crimestoppers from Spain, to give information anonymously on a dedicated Spanish free phone number 900 555 111.

All calls are answered in the UK by Crimestoppers call handlers. Spanish nationals can request the language line facility when they call Crimestoppers to give information in Spanish.

Among the appeals:

Kevin Thomas PARLE Offences:

• PARLE is wanted for two murders in Liverpool; namely
• The murder of 16 year old Liam Kelly in 2004
• The murder of Lucy Hargreaves in 2005. Mother of a 2 year old daughter, Hargreaves was shot, had petrol poured on her and was set on fire in her family home

Anthony CRAGGS Offences:

• Craggs is wanted for two armed robberies using firearms that occurred in Bournemouth and Edinburgh in 2003. A total of £90,000 was stolen as it was being delivered to two branches of the Abbey National by Securicor guards who were violently assaulted during both of the robberies

John Edward DOWDALL Offences:

• DOWDALL is believed to be resident in Spain and was convicted in 2005 for five years imprisonment for being involved in the importing of 532kg of cannabis into the UK from Spain in 2003
• DOWDALL was convicted in his absence after failing to attend the trial, after the Court had been informed that he had returned to his home in Spain

Mark Alan LILLEY Offences:

• Lilley is from the Warrington area and was convicted at Bolton Crown Court in April 2000 to 23 years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs (cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, amphetamine, cannabis and cannabis resin) and for possession of a firearm
• Lilley skipped bail during the trial and was convicted in his absence

Lisa Karen SANDERSON Offences:

• Obtaining property mortgages by deception (3 offences in total, jointly with 7 others with a total monetary value of £1.2 million)

John Edward SETON Offences:

• SETON is wanted for the murder of Jon Bartlett in Chislehurst, Kent in March 2006

Markcus JAMAL Offences:

• JAMAL is wanted for conspiracy to murder Nageeb El Hakem in Sheffield in November 2005

Robert Andrew SPIERS Offences:

• SPIERS is wanted for conspiracy to murder David Totton at the Brass Handles Public House in Salford in March 2006. Two males sent to murder David Totton were shot dead after attempting to murder David Totton inside the pub. David Totton was injured in the incident but refused to assist Police with their enquiries

David Anthony STUART Offences:

• Stuart was arrested in Accrington in July 2004 in possession of 20,000 ecstasy tablets and subsequently failed to attend his trial at Preston Crown Court in June 2005. He was charged with two offences of
• Conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug, namely MDMA (Ecstasy)
• Possession with intent to supply a Class A controlled drug

Dennis Patrick O'BRIEN Offences:

• O'BRIEN is wanted for conspiracy to supply 1.6 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of £166 million. He has also had a Life Licence for murder (convicted in 1983) revoked and is now required to serve the remainder of his life sentence

For further details of the wanted criminals and to view images – visit www.mostwanted-uk.org

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