UK crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) are once again on the hunt for Britain’s most wanted, thought to be on the run in Spain [20 October 2011]

A new appeal is being launched to mark the fifth anniversary of Operation Captura, with the campaign featuring ten suspected criminals believed to be hiding in one of the most popular countries for British ex-pats.

Half of the appeals are new, while the other five are subjects already publicised through Operation Captura who are being re-issued as all five are wanted for murder.

The successful multi-agency campaign identifies serious criminals on the run wanted by UK law enforcement agencies for crimes committed in the UK. Since Operation Captura launched in October 2006, 46 out of 60 criminals have been arrested, with many now behind bars.

Crimestoppers and SOCA work closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff in Madrid and with British and Spanish law enforcement agencies. The campaign highlights appeals for information on criminals who have European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) issued against them. Information given to Crimestoppers can help locate these criminals so that arrests can be carried out by the Spanish police.

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: “Operation Captura is a unique partnership that has seen huge success in bringing some of the UK’s most wanted fugitives to justice.

“A small number of suspected criminals see Spain as a safe place to evade law enforcement but, thanks to the confidence the UK, Spanish and ex-pat communities have in Crimestoppers, these individuals will not be able to escape justice for much longer.”

James Brokenshire MP, Minister for Crime and Security at The Home Office, said: “Crimestoppers, SOCA and all the agencies involved in Operation Captura have made an incredibly valuable contribution to our efforts to pursue criminals and bring them to justice. With over three quarters of Britain's most wanted in Spain arrested over the last five years, fugitives still on the run should be in no doubt that they have nowhere to hide.

"When crime crosses borders it is more important than ever to work closely with our international partners in order to keep the UK safe. Operation Captura is a great example of this policing and security cooperation in action. It shows that by working imaginatively and flexibly together we can stop criminals in their tracks and bring to bear the full force of the law.”

Andy Baker, Deputy Director for SOCA, commented; “Operation Captura has proved immensely successful, not only in aiding the arrest of individuals attempting to hide amongst the ex-pat community in Spain, but also as a means of raising the profile of these individuals and making Spain a hostile environment for British criminals. We look forward to continuing this work with Crimestoppers and extending the programme to other countries popular with our ex-pats; where criminals mistakenly think they can hide from justice.”

For those people calling from Spain there is a special freephone Spanish 900 555 111 telephone number which will be 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 Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111 or via our online Giving Information Form.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact the Crimestoppers Press Office on 0208 835 3737 or email press.office@crimestoppers-uk.org.
 
Notes to Editors

Those featured as part of the campaign are:

New appeals

Subject: Dominic Stephen POWELL - ARRESTED - read the press release

Subject: Simon DUTTON
Sex:    Male
Born:  24/10/1976
Place of Birth:  Bolton

Offences: Wanted for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

DUTTON is wanted following a joint operation between Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

He is linked to the importation of Cocaine from Spain into the UK and its subsequent distribution in the North West of England.

As a result of the operation 17 people have been convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment totalling in excess of 170 years; and Cocaine with a street value in excess of £1,600,000 was seized.

Description:

• Short dark brown hair
• Clean shaven
• 6ft 4 ins tall, medium build
• Blue eyes
• Marks/Scars – has a scar on his right side of his chin, scar on left hand and scar on right leg. Tattoo on right arm with the word ‘Rachel’. Tattoo running along inside left forearm.

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Wanted by Greater Manchester Police and Serious Organised Crime Agency
 
Subject: Andrew Terrence MORAN
Born:  30/03/1982
Place of Birth:  Salford, Manchester, UK

Offences: Convicted for his involvement in an armed cash in transit robbery that took place on the 23rd May 2005 in Colne, Lancashire where Royal Mail guards were threatened with a handgun, machete and a baseball bat. One of the guards was assaulted before the offenders escaped with £25,000.

The trial for this offence took place on 2nd February 2009. In the judges summing up he stated that he intended to remand MORAN in custody at which point he assaulted a group 4 security guard and vaulted over the dock. He escaped from the court and was subsequently convicted in his absence.

Description:

• Short cropped fair hair
• Clean shaven sometimes wears glasses
• Stocky build
• Blue eyes
• Marks/Scars – 1 inch burn mark on left forearm, 1 inch cut above left eyebrow, ½ scar on the back of scalp.
• Manchester accent

Force: Wanted by Lancashire Police

Existing appeals

Name: Derek McGraw FERGUSON
Alias: William Murdoch HENDERSON          
DOB: 10/01/1964
Place of birth: Glasgow

Offences: FERGUSON is sought in connection with the murder of Thomas Cameron on 28 June 2007 at the Auchinairn Tavern, Bishopbriggs near Glasgow.

Description:

• Hair: Short brown/grey, balding
• Height: 5ft 2inches
• Eyes: Green / Blue
• Distinguishing marks: Tattoos on left arm of a heart, an arrow and a dagger, part of left ear is missing.

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Strathclyde police

Name: William Thomas Robert PATERSON
Nickname: Buff / Billy
DOB: 10/09/1979
Place of birth: Glasgow

Offences: PATERSON is sought in connection with the murder of Kevin Carroll, also known as McCabe. Carroll was repeatedly shot in the car park of ASDA supermarket, Robroyston, Glasgow.

Description:

• Hair: Red / Auburn
• Height: 6ft 1inch
• Eyes: Blue

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Strathclyde Police

Name: Allan James FOSTER
Nickname: Shaun Michael WILKINSON
Born: 15/08/1972
Place of birth: South Shields

Offences: It is alleged that Foster murdered David “Noddy” Rice in Marsden Bay Car Park, South Shields on 24 May 2006. Foster is also wanted for two offences of conspiring to supply controlled drugs and also for the theft of a diamond ring.

Foster has links to the Canary Islands and Majorca.

Description:

• White European male of mixed race
• Height 5ft 8inches
• Slim build
• Brown eyes
• Short black hair
• No distinctive marks known.

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Northumbria Police

Name: Kevin Thomas PARLE
Born: 26/5/80
Place of birth: Liverpool

Offence: Kevin Thomas Parle is wanted in connection with the murders - in Liverpool - of 16yr old Liam Kelly in 2004 & Lucy Hargreaves in 2005.

Description:

• White
• Approx 6ft 6inches
• Short cropped auburn hair
• Large build
• Blue eyes

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Merseyside Police

Name: Christopher Guest MORE
Nickname: Christopher Guest, Chris Guest, Christopher Moores, Christopher Moore.
DOB: 30/12/1977

Offence: MORE is wanted in connection with the murder of a man in Cheshire, United Kingdom in June 2003. MORE and a number of accomplices travelled to a remote farmhouse in Cheshire where after their demands for money were refused, they assaulted the five people in the house, beating one so badly that he died at the scene.

He is also wanted for the attempted murder of a second man and for the false imprisonment and assault of other victims present during the incident.

A number of MORE’s accomplices have been arrested in relation to the incident however MORE left the United Kingdom in June 2003 and is believed to have flown to Spain. Information suggests that MORE has links to Spain and Malta. His current location is not known.

Description:

• White
• Approx 6ft tall
• Slim build
• Short cropped hair

Warnings: This subject is dangerous and considered violent.

Force: Cheshire Police

• 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 23 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.
• Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 108,000 arrests and charges. Over £115 million worth of goods has been recovered and over £213 million worth of drugs has been seized.
• In 2005, 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 1,000 arrests to date.
• 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.