Crimestoppers achieves a personal best

[30 April 2009]

Crime-fighting charity's best ever year for helping to solve murder cases

The UK's biggest crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers, has achieved a significant personal best in its 21 year history by helping the police to solve a record number of murder cases across the UK in 2008/2009.

The charity's end of year performance figures show that 85 people were charged with murder which means one person every four days is removed from our streets for this crime.

There was more good news for Crimestoppers with an 11% increase in arrests and charges across all crime categories which translate as 19 arrests every day most of which are for serious crimes.

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: “When I helped set up the charity in 1988 it was with the intention of providing the police with vital intelligence to help solve crimes which they might not otherwise obtain. Our promise of safeguarding the identity of all our users has established Crimestoppers as being an essential piece of the crime-fighting jigsaw.

“Crimestoppers can only operate by working in partnership effectively which it has been doing so successfully with law enforcement and the media since it started. This vital three-way partnership pays testimony to these outstanding end-of-year results. Congratulations to all those concerned in helping to make our communities safer.”

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Paul Stephenson, a big supporter of the charity, added: “There is no doubt that Crimestoppers plays a vital role in assisting in bringing offenders to justice. London's reported crime levels are at their lowest in ten years and the proactive work of Crimestoppers has undoubtedly played its part. Through their appeals, they send a clear message to criminals that with the help of the public, they will be caught.”

Crimestoppers operates the 24/7 0800 555 111 telephone number for people to pass on information about crimes anonymously. Information can also be passed via the charity's website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• 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 91,000 arrests and charges. Over £167 million worth of property has been recovered and over £160 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 500 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.
• In September 2007, Crimestoppers launched a youth website www.shadowcs.co.uk which allows young people to give information anonymously online.

See Crimestoppers' statistics