What is Most Wanted

Most Wanted is the place to view photos, watch CCTV footage and read descriptions of people who the police are currently looking for.

It brings together appeals from across the UK and for all crime types. Most Wanted helps identify people unknown to the police and find where criminals may be hiding.

Who chooses the appeals on the site?

Police forces across the UK are responsible for the appeals on the site. They choose who goes on Most Wanted and who does not. The nature of the crime or the investigation will have an influence on whether an appeal is put on Most Wanted. The police are also responsible for the accuracy of the appeal information provided and removing appeals.

What do I do if I recognise someone?

If you have information on someone featured within Most Wanted you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or securely by our anonymous online Giving Information Form. You will be prompted to do this on every appeal. Alternatively if you are happy to make a statement to the police, you can find their contact details at the bottom of the appeal.

How do I find appeals I'm interested in?

You can search all the appeals in a number of different ways, by crime type, location, or campaign, using the search tool at the top of the Most Wanted page. Appeals that fit your search will be displayed below. You can refine your search as you go. So if you have asked for all 'Robbery' appeals, you can then change the location field to show 'Robbery' appeals in your postcode area. If no results are found for your search, Most Wanted will give you further suggestions to find relevant appeals.

By default, when you open Most Wanted it will show the featured appeals first. These are eight appeals that we are keen to draw particular attention to at the moment. These appeals might be linked to a campaign we are currently running.

Once you have looked at the featured appeals, be sure to either change the Showing box (on the right hand side) to all appeals or another campaign you are interested in. You can then filter the appeals and search them until you find exactly what you are looking for.

Can I save my search?

Yes - you can save your search so each time you visit Most Wanted you see the current appeals that fit your criteria. You can also set up an RSS feed of your search.

Who is THE Most Wanted person in the UK?

The UK does not have a Most Wanted individual, or even a top ten. The person you consider ‘Most Wanted' may differ from other people, which is why we give you the opportunity to search for appeals that concern you most.

I think information on Most Wanted is incorrect – what can I do?

All the information on Most Wanted is supplied by the police and they have strict controls to ensure information is accurate. If however you believe that an appeal is inaccurate, you can do so via the link at the bottom of each appeal page. Please state clearly why you believe the appeal to be incorrect and include your name, address and phone number. It is important that you give valid contact details as we cannot respond to anonymous reports. This will be passed to the relevant police force for investigation.