25th Most Wanted arrested under Operation Captura

UK crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers, can confirm that one of the most wanted men under Operation Captura, Ronald William Priestley was arrested yesterday afternoon in Malaga, Spain. [8 October 2009]

Ronald William Priestley, born in Leeds on 2 March 1940, was sought in connection with currency counterfeiting offences to the sum of £4.25 million.

Crimestoppers' Founder and Chair, Lord Ashcroft, KCMG said: “The fact is that half the criminals who have been featured under Operation Captura have already been caught. Therefore my message to the rest of them, still on the run, is that they should put their affairs in order and find a tenant for their villas, because there's a good chance they will be soon on their way home.”

International Director for SOCA, David Armond, said: “Once again the public have sent a message to criminals that they are not welcome in their communities. Crimestoppers is an ideal vehicle for the public to anonymously help police track down fugitives and Operation Captura is a testament to how public support is helping shrink the globe leaving criminals nowhere to hide.”

Robbie Bulloch, Justice and Home Affairs Attaché at the British Embassy in Madrid said: “This arrest is an important reminder that large scale fraud is a serious offence which does harm ordinary people. Thanks to the great public response to the Captura campaign, the pressure on criminals on the run in Spain is stronger than ever.”

Priestley was featured in the first 10 appeals under Operation Captura in October 2006. Priestley is the 25th criminal to be arrested out of 50 wanted individuals featured under Operation Captura to date and is the second arrest under Operation Captura within the past 10 days.

Operation Captura identifies serious criminals wanted by UK law enforcement agencies for crimes committed in the UK. Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) work closely with British Embassy Madrid, British and Spanish law enforcement agencies. The campaign highlights appeals for information on criminals who have European arrest warrants issued against them for crimes such as drug trafficking, murder and sex offences.

Calls to the freephone Spanish 900 555 111 telephone number are answered in the UK by Crimestoppers' call agents and a translation service is available upon request. People can also pass on information anonymously via the online giving information form on Crimestoppers' website.

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For further information contact Crimestoppers' press office.

Notes to editors Crimestoppers

• Crimestoppers is an independent charity which helps the police to solve crimes, making communities safer. It does this by operating the 24/7 telephone number 0800 555 111 which people can ring to pass on information about crimes anonymously. They can also use our ‘giving information' form via our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org

• Around 19 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers. One person every four days is charged with murder.

• Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 94,000 arrests and charges. Over £110 million of goods has been recovered and over £174 million worth of drugs.

• In 2006, Crimestoppers launched the UK's Most Wanted on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts. It has been highly successful with over 655 arrests to date from 2.5 thousand appeals posted.

• Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Chairman of Trustees. In 1988, he launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area. Crimestoppers ‘call to action' is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media.

Registered charity number: 1108687