Know someone with a knife? Text Crimestoppers

[24 November 2008]

In a bid to help fight knife crime, the charity Crimestoppers is targeting a campaign at young people in ten regions across England and Wales to pass on information about who is carrying knives in their schools, by sending a simple text message to a dedicated anonymous hotline.

The charity's new method of receiving vital crime information, which guarantees the mobile phone user's anonymity, will be publicised in schools, colleges and youth clubs in the ten areas of England and Wales which are taking part in the government's Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP).

Crimestoppers has been running the scheme in London since the summer and has so far received over 40 pieces of actionable information which has been passed onto law enforcement. With generous support from the Home Office the charity is now able to extend the service to the TKAP police force areas.

This new route for passing on information to Crimestoppers has been introduced during a landmark year for the charity which is celebrating 20 successful years of fighting crime.

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, founder and Chairman of Crimestoppers, said: “Crimestoppers has come a long way since I established the charity 20 years ago, and so has technology. The huge popularity of texting, especially amongst young people, has given us a valuable opportunity to engage with school students to encourage them to pass on information about knife crime in a quick and easy way whilst maintaining their anonymity. A simple text could help save a life in the future.”

The scheme has won support from the Tottenham Hotspur captain and England defender, Ledley King, who has direct experience of growing up in a tough inner city area in London, he said: “I understand some of the issues facing young people and my work with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation shows that issues can often be helped by providing positive alternatives. Knife crime and anti-social behaviour is a problem and is something we should all pull together in tackling. Everyone is entitled to live without fear and I'd encourage anyone to use the Crimestoppers text number and support the Tackling Knives Action Programme.”

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary, added: “The message is clear – if you know somebody who is carrying a knife, you have a responsibility to pass the information on. We are determined to do all we can to get weapons off our streets and we are taking a range of action to tackle knife crime, but we can't do this on our own. We all need to work together to make a difference and I am delighted that Crimestoppers are standing shoulder to shoulder with us in the fight against knife crime.”

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For press enquiries contact Hannah Daws, Head of Communications, DD 020 8254 3230/MOB 07900 694904, email: hannah.daws@crimestoppers-uk.org .

Notes to editors

• The ten areas taking part in TKAP are: London, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, and Thames Valley. The Programme, which will run until March 2009, is delivering tough enforcement combined with education, prevention work and information campaigns designed to keep youngsters on the right track. Crimestoppers only has the resources to take information about knife crime or carrying knives from these TKAP regions.
• The new service is for information about knife carrying only – for information about all other crimes the public are asked to call the Crimestoppers 24-hour anonymous 0800 555 111 number or complete an anonymous online form by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
• The information that young people are being asked to text is:
  1. Name and/or nickname
  2. School
  3. Year
  4. Area/postcode
  texts charged at standard network rates
• The text messages will be routed through special software, developed by mBlox, the world's largest mobile transaction network, and Anderson Software, applications specialist for law enforcement, to ensure they remain anonymous when passed onto the police.
• Crimestoppers is an independent charity dedicated to solving crimes and taking criminals off the streets. Around 17 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers. One person every five days is charged with murder.
• Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 87,000 arrests and charges. Over £103 million worth of property has been recovered and nearly £160 million worth of drugs.
• Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Chairman of Trustees. In 1988, he launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area. Crimestoppers is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media.