Starting in the Wick area on Tuesday this week, Crimestoppers leaflets will be dropping through letterboxes across the region.
The leaflets are designed to encourage residents, who don’t wish to ring the Police directly, to contact Crimestoppers to report crime related concerns or criminal activity, anonymously.
Crimestoppers are a highly successful UK charitable organisation, supporting Police initiatives across the Scotland, England and Wales.
Since Crimestoppers started taking your anonymous calls in 1988, they have received; more than one million calls with useful information which have led to:
87,385 people being arrested and charged with offences including murder, rape, drug dealing, burglary, robbery and theft
Over 600 people alone with murder
£103million of stolen property being recovered
Drugs with a street value of over £159million being seized
Clearly, your call does make a difference!
Since the Most Wanted website was launched in November 2005:
Over 1,600 appeals have been featured
400 suspects have been arrested and charged (one Most Wanted arrest every other day)
25% of these arrests resulted from the information given by members of the public
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Jim Ferguson Chair of Highlands and Islands Crimestoppers said:
“Our towns and villages across Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross remain safe places to live and work. Let’s keep them that way.
It would be preferable, if everyone within the community was willing to stand up and be counted but, if for any reason, you do not want to give your name we will understand. You can still give the information anonymously.
We must work together if we want our towns and villages to remain one of the safest places to live and work in Scotland.
Notwithstanding this however, we cannot ignore that in certain areas a small number of individuals are intent on committing crimes of an anti-social nature, vandalism, disturbance, domestic violence & drug dealing and continue to conduct themselves in an anti-social manner, which can often occur when alcohol and drugs are involved.
Recently, cases of rented Highlands�s property were reported in regional newspapers as being used for Cannabis Factories. This examples the creeping menace of organised crime.
The message is clear, we must all work together to disrupt and deter those intent on such behaviour.”
Crimestoppers only want to know what you know about crime, not who you are.
The type of information needed is:
Names, ages, addresses
What they are doing and when
What cars or vehicles being used
Where proceeds of crime are being stored
Any information which would help catch the criminals
Maybe you’ve seen or heard something about a crime but don’t know what to do or would you say something if no one knew it was you?
Are you scared to come forward and be a witness?
Are you worried about what might happen to you if you talk to the police?
If you feel like this, it’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do!
Crimestoppers is available for you to make your community a safer place to live.
Anonymity makes the difference and the promise of anonymity has never been broken.
Talking to an advisor helps provide the full picture and makes sure the best use can be made of your information.
Remember, Crimestoppers is an independent charity and not part of the police. If you wish to pass on information about crime anonymously
Please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
HELP US TO HELP YOU
Jim Ferguson – Chairman – Highlands & Islands Crimestoppers
REMEMBER IF YOU SEE A CRIME BEING COMMITTED
PLEASE TELEPHONE 999 IMMEDIATELY AND ASK FOR POLICE
PREVENT A CRIME OR HELP US CATCH A CRIMINAL
Chair: Jim Ferguson
I think the partnership between the Police, Crimestoppers and the Media is an excellent idea. Many people throughout the Highlands and Islands will feel more relaxed about reporting crimes without the fear of intimidation because they know beforehand that anonymity is guaranteed. The online source is easy to access. The problem facing the Police today has heightened because drug dealers on the whole, no longer arrive to deal. They are now taking up residency in our neighbourhoods and living amidst our communities. In many instances untouched by the law. This is of course a concern for many law abiding residents. Animals are being stolen to fund their drug habits. These type of bullies, dealers, cowards and liars think nothing of this crime. Dealers are responsible for tearing whole families and communities apart. Young teenagers are easy prey for them and all too easily become addicts themselves and sadly a much loved son/daughter all to often becomes a cold statistic, but drug dealers never show any remorse, their greed for money supercedes this and if need be they are even prepared for their nearest and dearest to suffer at their hands also. It is a vicious circle of abuse on a grand scale.
The alliance between the Police and Crimestoppers also involves the public. We should all assist in keeping our backyards free from these destroyers. The Police deserve this help and we ought to pull together to prevent crime, not only for our sake, but for the future generation of children who have yet to grow up.
Many thanks for your comments Yvonne, you have summarised the issues very concisely!
I am always pleased to hear views such as those expressed by Yvonne Jones from Caithness.
I agree with this point of view in its entirety and of course feel that our communities and the people who live and work within them are the key to tackling many of the problems we face.
I have always believed that a community uniting behind a common goal and purpose to protect each other and our families was the best defence.
Crimestoppers is working accross the entire Highlands and Islands region to help, assist and support our communities to do exactly this.
I believe that with spirited local people working together with Police and other partners in the area, we can jointly make a difference and show criminals that we will not sit back and allow them to infect the Highlands and Islands.
Jim Ferguson
Chair – Highlands and Islands Regional Crimestoppers
It’s very reassuring to know that Crimestoppers exists and that it is taking an active interest in the criminal activities of the Highlands & Islands. I am especially reassured to know that I could call in total anonymity, without fear of repercussion from the criminals involved, if I had cause to.
It is often the more quiet, rural communities which suffer greatly from largely undetected or unprevented criminal activity.
Organised crime necessitates an organised response and I am delighted that this initiative has been set up.
Some very pleasing responses from the public, too, judging by the comments so far.
Most people are decent and hard-working; it is the liars and criminals that erode communities and society in general. Let us all stand firm against such like.
Wonderful to know that an organization such as this exists, I do hope it will make a difference however in helping bring evil-doers to justice because many evade the net and even when they are caught punishment is not severe enough.
We often here of the rights of criminals and how they can be represented in this way or that, but maybe just for a change the trials of the innocent should be brought to light and reflected upon during judgement.
The Highlands and Islands & the Far North was relatively drug free, until it unfortunately became a MAGNET for criminals from the North of England. Drug dealers, sub dealers, rogues, swindlers are disturbing the peace and making life hard for the indigenous residents.
The ordinary citizen has the right to protect his/her family, possessions and exercise freedom of speech and it is their duty to report criminal activity.
With the aid of ‘Crimestoppers’ and the Police, this partnership will prove very beneficial in assisting in the conviction of criminals!