Crimestoppers Impact Report 2014 /15
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IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 1
Welcome
Crimestoppers helps people who want to stop the crimes that hurt them, their family, and their community. Our anonymous service gives them the opportunity to speak out when their personal circumstances could silence them.
police have made using our anonymous
Crimestoppers’ role is unique and independent of the authorities.
This year we have reviewed the role
Our promise of anonymity really makes a difference:
safer communities.
• To those who contact us, who have nowhere else to turn
want to be in the future has been a
information. We have learnt about the murders solved, the abuse stopped, the drugs that weren’t taken, the property returned, and the lives saved. And we think about the people affected, the victims and their families.
that Crimestoppers plays in creating
Reflecting on the past and where we galvanising exercise.
• To the victims of crime who see justice done, and
Our strategy for the coming five years
• To communities who are safer as a result
build on our achievements to date whilst
We have always known the importance of demonstrating our impact and I am always pleased to hear about the arrests
to do more. We don’t want to just catch
sets out our ambitions. We continue to challenging ourselves and our supporters criminals; we can prevent people from becoming victims as well.
Welcome from our Chair Lord Ashcroft, KCMG PC, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers
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Contents
Welcome from our Chair
02
Introduction from our CEO
04
Crimestoppers in 2014-15
05
Strategic Ambition
06
Anonymity
08
Safer Lives
10
Safer Communities
12
14
Engagement
Education
16
Analysis
18
People
20
Thank You
22
Finance
24
Statement
26
Our Impact
28
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Introduction
Anonymity is key to our service but we are by no means a faceless Charity. People are an integral part of Crimestoppers from the members of the public reporting crime, to volunteers working with us in their communities, our police and corporate partners and our staff. In this report you will be given a glimpse of these individuals – from the call agents at our bureau (p.8) to those who use our anonymous service (p.12 and 13); our dedicated volunteers (p.20 and 21) and those who have shown us tremendous support over the years (p.22 and 23). You will also read about our five-year strategic plan, which will benefit everyone moving forward. We have four main goals for the years ahead: • Better provision of our anonymous reporting capability;
• Improving our connection with disenfranchised communities; • Greater emphasis on awareness and prevention activity; and, • Investment in analysis to improve our quality of information. We believe that these are all attainable despite the continuing financial austerity in the public sector. We will continue to provide the highest quality of service with efficiency and improvements at every level of the Charity. We know that the need for our anonymous service is greater than ever: A recent survey of our callers indicated that 96% of people view our guarantee of anonymity as being vital or very important. We are a critical conduit for information, which
complements the service offered by UK law enforcement. We know just how important it is to adapt and improve in order to stay relevant in an ever-changing world – especially when it comes to engaging the public. Our campaigns remain a vital tool in achieving this. Read about how staff and volunteers alike have sought to engage with communities (p.14 and 15) as well as educate them about different crime types (p.16 and 17). Over 120 campaigns were run across the country in 2014/15, a record for a single year. This has resulted in high value intelligence being passed to law enforcement and a high number of criminals arrested and charged. As well as the UK, we continue to launch campaigns abroad; hunting for fugitives
who have fled the UK continues to be a critical role for us. In 2014/15 we ran successful campaigns in Spain and Cyprus, which led to the capture of several key fugitives. Both the National Crime Agency and local law enforcement agencies are important partners in this activity. Read about the latest successes in Spain with Operation Captura on page 15. The introduction of analytical tools at the Bureau is also showing us the impact of appeals and campaigns and providing further intelligence to police. We recognise the challenges ahead in the next five years but we welcome them. It is tough, but suitably aspirational, and we look forward to achieving our aims in the years ahead.
Introduction from our CEO Mark Hallas OBE, CEO Crimestoppers
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Crimestoppers in 2014-15
Crimestoppers in 2014 - 15
120
36
56
CRIMESTOPPERS CAMPAIGNS ABOUT LOCAL CRIME CONCERNS
PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATIONAL COMPANIES ABOUT CRIMES THAT HURT STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITIES
REWARDS OFFERED ABOUT SPECIFIC RAPES, MURDERS AND VIOLENT CRIMES
YOUR INFORMATION REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
THIS LED TO
300,000 PEOPLE CONTACTING CRIMESTOPPERS
5, 100 CRIMINALS ARRESTED AND CHARGED
BY PHONE
366
£9.5
GUNS, KNIVES AND AMMUNITION REMOVED
MILLION DRUGS SEIZED
529 CRIMINALS FEATURED ON MOST WANTED FOUND
OR ONLINE
WHICH RESULTED IN
111,000 REPORTS SENT TO THE POLICE AND OTHER AUTHORITIES
98,000 PIECES OF CRIME INFORMATION ACTED ON BY POLICE
THIS MEANT
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19,500 CRIMES SOLVED AND PREVENTED, INCLUDING:
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Strategic Ambition
Strategic Ambition How we work in communities affected by crime
Our Vision We believe that individuals and communities have a right to be safe from crime and the fear of crime.
Our volunteers talk with local people about crime and their community
We explain how anonymity makes it safe to speak out about crime and criminals
Each of us has a responsibility to create a country where there are fewer victims of crime. Our Mission Crimestoppers detects, reduces and prevents crimes through the provision of information. We give people information and tools to act against crime. Through the promise of anonymity, vulnerable individuals and communities can stand up against crime and criminals.
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We bring together like-minded partners to work together on crime issues
We share expert information about crime, how to spot it and how to protect yourself
Trust in Crimestoppers’ service grows amongst those who cannot talk to the authorities
Individuals are deterred from committing crime, some even hand themselves in.
People are motivated to give information about criminal activity and offenders
People share crime information with their friends and families
The police, and our other partners, identify and investigate crimes
People take action to protect themselves from crime
Crimes are solved
There are less incidents of crime
Communities are safer from crime and there are fewer victims
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Strategic Ambition
Strategy 2015 - 2020 Our present
Our future
The Charity’s structure today combines four essential elements:
But we are operating in a challenging environment:
• A professional call bureau working 24/7, 365 days a year
• The nature of crime is changing. Visible crimes like burglary are falling, but we see more violent and sexual crimes recorded. Fraud, digital and online crimes are increasing, but less often reported
• A central office team that provides national guidance and oversight for campaigns, communications, fundraising and key stakeholder relationships as well as running the Charity • Regional staff, the key enablers in ensuring local activity chimes with national priorities • Over 650 dedicated volunteers, the length and breadth of the UK, who represent the communities of all 48 police forces
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• Austerity is not over in the public sector with more deep cuts expected • There are more vulnerable people who need our help; the old, the young, those with disabilities or from particular cultures or social groups
Through extensive consultation with staff, volunteers, police and other groups, 2014/15 saw the development of our new five-year strategy which covers four main areas: Anonymity We allow people to speak freely, by being unknown, to stop criminal activity that harms them. Our whole service should be the best we can make it; from before our caller picks up the phone to how the police use our information.
Engagement We work with communities to gain their confidence and help create safer places to live. Some groups will not speak to authorities, this is where we can make the most difference to people’s lives.
Education If we can help someone before crime hurts them then we should be doing this. We will share expertise with our audiences.
Analysis With the right technology and skills we can add value to the information we already have to do more with our partners to stop crime.
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Anonymity
Your Anonymity We have always measured the impact of Crimestoppers’ anonymous service through feedback from our policing partners on the crimes they have solved using the information we provide. Contact
Information
Actions
Outcomes
WE HEARD FROM
WE SENT
THEY TOOK ACTION ON
AND SOLVED AND PREVENTED
300,000
111,510
98,174
19,524
PEOPLE:
REPORTS TO THE POLICE
CRIMES
CRIMES
1/3RD ONLINE AND 2/3RDS BY PHONE
At our Bureau
96% OF OUR CALLERS GIVING INFORMATION SAID OUR PROMISE OF ANONYMITY WAS VITAL OR VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM
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The Crimestoppers bureau has a team of 45 staff who keep the facility open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They take information anonymously, via the 0800 555 111 telephone number or online form, on a huge variety of crimes – from drug cultivation and robberies to bomb threats. In recent years contact from the public has steadied and with the long term trend in falling recorded crime this is perhaps not surprising. However, confidence in the police is still a concern for some members of the public.
Alex Haughton, call handler, says: “Crimestoppers provides a hugely important service. There are many people who won’t go to the police because they fear repercussions – it is scary for them and I completely understand that. This is why it is vital that Crimestoppers exists.” Running an anonymous helpline means we respect the privacy of the people who come to us and do not ask for their personal details. Jo Black, shift leader, says: “One of the first calls I took led to the arrest of a prolific drink driver. I’ve also taken information which stopped a planned prison break.”
Alex Haughton (top) and Jo Black
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Anonymity
Security of Information Keeping information that has been entrusted to us safe and secure is critical to the work that we do. This is of particular importance to companies for whom the Charity operates whistle-blowing services, but is also of vital importance to members of the public who are given assurances of anonymity. In early January we received a threat that our
systems were to be hacked. They claimed to be the ‘Lizard’ group who allegedly brought down Sony before Christmas. We monitored our systems and saw their unsuccessful attempts to breach our firewalls. The matter is the subject of a current criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Cyber Team.
As a result we carried out a full security review on all of our systems. We made a number of adjustments to the website and introduced new policies in relation to use of IT equipment. Our information security management system is externally audited and we continue to meet the standards set by ISO27001.
The Way Forward We believe that the impact of our anonymous service is significantly under-reported. This is due to the lack of resources available to police forces to accurately provide feedback on the results obtained as a result of using Crimestoppers’ information. We will try to overcome this through a variety of means:
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1
2
3
4
Embedding a volunteer in every police force to comprehensively and accurately record crimes detected as a result of information provided by Crimestoppers
One-to-one interaction with each and every police force with Bureau, Regional Manager, Head of Operations, Director and Chief Executive involved where necessary
Looking at technology as a way to potentially ‘mark’ Crimestoppers information as it flows through the system
Assisting Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in drafting suitable questions for police forces to be asked as part of the regulatory process on how they use Crimestoppers’ information and provide feedback
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Safer Lives
Our Successes These examples are real life cases; they show how anonymity can be critical to solving crimes.
Violent attacks on teenagers solved
Child abuse images out of circulation
Hidden cannabis farm uncovered
Dangerous fugitive captured
A number of teenagers had been assaulted, leaving them with serious physical and emotional injuries. One unknown man was wanted for all the attacks. We heard from different people, wary of reprisals, about these crimes and who had committed them. They all named the same person, which we gave to police. He was arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm and wounding with intent.
A man amassed a large number of child abuse images which he was storing and sharing with others. Three different people got in touch with us, by phone and online, highlighting what he was doing. Coming to Crimestoppers meant our callers did not have to talk to the police. Our reports led police to arrest and charge him with possession and distribution of indecent photographs of a child and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
One caller rang to tell us about cannabis being grown in a specially constructed and hidden site. The individual was wary because they lived close to the site but we reassured them they could not be identified. Police said they would not have known about this location without our report. They seized over ÂŁ25,000 worth of the drug.
An extremely dangerous fugitive was on the run from police. We appealed for people with information about his whereabouts, particularly in the local criminal networks, to come forward. We were given accurate information within 24 hours, from someone who was clearly close to the fugitive, and we phoned the relevant force immediately. They acted quickly and found him as our caller described.
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Safer Lives
Murders prevented by seizing guns A woman, close to gang members, was scared about the violence they planned. She described the guns they owned and where they were stored. Quick action from the police found six guns and made arrests for possession. A recovery of this scale will have stopped a murder or serious injury. Investigation of a murder can cost police approximately £1 million.
£1.5 million drugs off the streets
Fraudulent lies exposed
Knowing about where a local gang was storing a large amount of cocaine and heroin meant talking to the police felt too risky, so a web user told us lots of details via our secure online form. We passed this to police, who found this store was worth more than £1.5 million. They arrested three people at the scene.
Following a night out drinking a man crashed his car. Rather than telling the police and his insurance company the truth, he invented a story about his car being stolen. Someone close to this man knew this was wrong, and sent us information on our online form. This detailed how the car had been further damaged and where it was dumped. We passed this to police, who found the car and arrested its owner. He admitted fully what he’d done.
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Paedophile found after two-year search A man was found guilty, in his absence, for six offences of child sexual abuse. A warrant was issued for his arrest. He evaded police for two years, despite activity across the country to find him. Our ‘Most Wanted’ site was used to raise the profile of this offender. Our caller, uncomfortable about talking to the police, told us exactly where this offender was hiding. The police said this was paramount to arresting the man and sending him to prison.
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Safer Communities
Doing the Right Thing These case studies are based on our experiences and give a more detailed look at what motivates people to contact us.
An animal lover who put a stop to dog fighting A local barber has a regular customer well known in his area who is known to be violent and has a bad reputation amongst the local community. The barber has overheard his customer talk about setting up dog fights, while other customers have been to these fights and told him more about them. He is keen to stop this as he is an animal lover and it makes him angry that people can do this to defenceless dogs. He has also found out his customer is stealing people’s pets to use in fights.
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He has heard that a dog fight is due to occur this Friday night at 9pm in a local car park and he wants to tell Crimestoppers to ensure no more dogs are hurt. He won’t go to the police, and doesn’t trust them, as he has been to prison previously as a youngster. He also doesn’t want his identity to be revealed as he is frightened of the consequences for both his business and his own well-being. As a result of his information, police were able to hijack the planned dog fight and arrest those involved.
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Safer Communities
A resident who helped rid her community of illegal drugs
A man who just wanted to do the right thing
A concerned friend who helped make the roads safer
A concerned woman has an issue with drug dealing going on outside her house and around her area on a regular basis. It’s not hidden - it’s carried out right in front of people and it brings other crimes to her area, some being anti-social, others being violent. She grew up around this area and there was no crime before - it was nice and friendly. She is frightened the police might expose her identity or ask her to go to court, and she would then be more worried than she is now. She would have to deal with the possibility of revenge attacks and she does not want to live like that. She would be afraid that something might happen to her or her family, such as vandalism of her home or car. As a result of contacting Crimestoppers, police were able to intercept a major drug deal going on and the woman is now living in a much safer community.
A young man is concerned for his community as a guy he used to go to school with has been bragging at the pub about a number of burglaries he has carried out in the area. One of them was in the local news and the victims were an elderly man and his son, who suffers from Down’s syndrome. He remembers the story because they had tried to fight off the burglars, but were tied up and beaten. He admits he is no angel, but he feels that the burglary and assault was a step too far. He has had his own issues with the police in the past, so does not feel in a position to speak to them. However, he wants to do the right thing before anyone else is hurt, which is why he contacts Crimestoppers. As a result of his information, the man responsible for the armed robbery was arrested and charged, but nobody will ever know who contacted the Charity.
A woman who regularly drinks in a local pub near her house is concerned by a friend of hers who regularly staggers out of the establishment and into her car when well over the legal driving limit. She’s tried to convince her friend that what she is doing is wrong, but the she isn’t listening to her. She is now concerned someone could become a victim of her recklessness. She worked with a woman whose child was killed in a hit and run – and she doesn’t want anyone else to lose a child in the same way. She doesn’t feel she can go to the police because the woman is a friend, albeit not a close one, and she fears the pub may get into trouble for not acting earlier. By contacting Crimestoppers, her friend was caught while out drink driving and charged. The caller, safe in the knowledge no one will be hurt as a result of her friend’s drink driving, will never have her identity revealed, because nobody will know it was her who made the call.
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Engagement
Engagement Engaging communities across the UK is vital to our service. At a national level we work with both law enforcement and corporate partners to do this.
At a local level our volunteers work with communities to respond to their concerns. They get out and about each week to talk with groups about the benefits of Crimestoppers’ anonymous service. The result of all this work is shown in the number of people who contact us with information about crime, which is approximately 300,000 per annum.
September 2014
November 2014
Fearless knife campaign
Conferences
Crimestoppers’ youth service, Fearless, engaged 11-16 year-olds on the topic of knife crime during a campaign in Westminster, London. We wanted to educate young people about the issue and empower them to give information about knives and weapons anonymously through the Fearless website. We also wanted to promote a new dedicated Fearless reporting line, which was being piloted as part of the activity. We also wanted to see an increase in actionable information from young people. The campaign saw the Fearless team train a total of 83 youth professionals across Westminster and 35 educational resources were also made available to schools. Content was
Conferences remain a key aspect of our engagement with police forces and community groups. In September, a national conference was held in York; one of our key messages was the work being carried out to target those communities that find it hard to give information directly to the police, something that was fully supported by Justine Curran, Chief Constable for Humberside Police. In October we also partnered with National Policing Leads and the National College of Policing to deliver a conference on cybercrime; we followed this a month later with another event entitled ‘What Works in Local Policing.’
promoted through an awareness-raising RUFearless app as well as Facebook. The campaign evaluation revealed there had been over 1,200 interactions with the app and over 76,000 young people reached through Facebook promotion. As a result, Crimestoppers received a number of pieces of important information from the area.
April ‘14
May
June
July
August
September
Appeals for fugitives in Cyprus; Operation Zygos.
Stopping the theft of ‘cats’ in East Anglia; stealing catalytic converters from cars.
Sniffing out organised crime behind cannabis cultivation (For more information - see page 19).
The Post Office stamps out crime in Liverpool and Manchester.
“Who will you support, your community or the criminals?” Our volunteers challenge Manchester to speak out about crime.
Who is Filthy Rich in Northern Ireland? Finding criminals living beyond their means.
Time line
Who’s housebreaking in Scotland? Targeting local concerns.
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Putting the brakes on bike theft in Gloucestershire. Fearless against knife crime in Westminster.
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Engagement
The Way Forward Understanding those people who know about crimes and criminals is key for us if we are to further build trust in our anonymous service. We want to reach out to people with a mistrust of police, including those new to our country. We have begun work with a translation service to begin producing
publicity material in different languages. We are also planning to translate sections of the Crimestoppers website to make it more accessible to those communities who cannot read English.
February 2015
March 2015
Meter tampering
Fugitive campaigns
Working with partners in the energy industry, Crimestoppers developed a campaign to help raise awareness of the dangers of meter tampering in Newcastle and Gateshead. We utilised a variety of channels to reach the various segments of our target audience including promoted social media advertising, a traditional media release and ‘PayPoint’ energy top up receipts. We also developed a pre-roll advert that was featured ahead of YouTube content, discouraging the public from learning how to tamper with their meter. Crimestoppers received 91 pieces of intelligence in a four-week period – a 36% increase on the previous month.
Our ninth Operation Captura appeal, seeking fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain, was launched in Madrid in March 2015 and saw huge success – with three fugitives being apprehended within just four weeks. Further campaign activity in July saw a digital advertising van broadcast the faces of the remaining fugitives in expat hot spots around Spain, which was followed by a further three arrests. To date, 71 out of 86 individuals have been apprehended and just 15 now remain. In April 2014, a second Operation Zygos campaign was launched, hunting for some of the UK’s most-wanted fugitives believed to be hiding in Cyprus. The
October
One target area saw information spike by an impressive 233%. A total of one million individuals were reached as a result of promotion and we received 4,600 engagements online.
November
December
January ‘15
February
campaign has seen six out of 15 fugitives apprehended to date. Crimestoppers’ offer of anonymity and independence from the police has always been a key aspect of these fugitive campaigns, run jointly with the National Crime Agency and local law enforcement.
March Time line
Scotland volunteers challenge illegal evictions with Shelter. “No More Domestic Abuse”, say Leicestershire volunteers.
Undermining organised crime in Durham; catching them fly tipping. Fake money funds crime; we target counterfeiters with the support of the Bank of England.
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Stopping drink drivers wrecking lives.
Challenging hate crime in Birmingham.
Uncovering the hidden abuse of older people; pilot in Essex. “Drug dealers don’t care, do you?” We asked the question in Northern Ireland.
Surrey volunteers challenge the organised crime behind illegal tobacco. March - launch of ninth Operation Captura appeal.
Stopping meter tampering and energy theft with energy partners.
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Education
Education One of the best ways of preventing crime is educating the public. Our role at Crimestoppers is to find the best information and advice from the experts and share this. The Way Forward
June 2014
The Game of Fraud We have always tried to share information about crimes as part of our work. Responding to a public expectation like this is a significant part of the role we play, our strategy asks us to do more. We need to know we are providing the best information. Developing relationships with the right experts and partners is really important. We will look at the evidence so we know that the action recommended really will help people keep safe from crime.
We explored the use of digital platforms for several campaigns in 2014 – most notably fraud prevention initiative ‘Game of Fraud’, which was developed to raise awareness and educate the public on latest fraud trends affecting the UK. We created an online quiz to enable the public to answer questions and be served with a card detailing the fraud they may be most susceptible to. The aim was to educate and engage the public on the subject of fraud using an element of fun. The campaign used paid promotion online as well as publicity through local media outlets. Five launch events were also held across the UK where we engaged with members of the public and gave them the opportunity to complete the quiz and be served with their electronic card as well as a physical card. As a result of the campaign, Crimestoppers passed on 92 pieces of actionable information to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) – an increase of 10%. The campaign reached just under two million people online – resulting in over 10,122 visits to the ‘Game of Fraud’ website.
April ‘14
June
August
October
Volunteers in 23 rural communities highlight the harm of #ruralcrime through social media.
Our volunteers lead on learning about Child Sexual Exploitation with a conference in Hampshire.
PIN ATM reversal scam is being publicised on Facebook: Crimestoppers’ web page educates the public about the offending social media post and sees the largest peak in traffic during the following six-month period.
Demonstrating how Fearless is used in safeguarding young people; recruiting more supporters in Cumbria.
Time line
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Who are the winners and losers in our ‘Game of Fraud’?
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Education
November 2014
December 2014
CSE Humberside
What would you do?
Crimestoppers in Humberside took a stand against Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in November with one of their biggest campaigns on the issue. More than 700 people attended three days of events in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Goole, Hull and Bridlington to hear presentations from Crimestoppers representatives as well as members of the local councils, police and the charity Parents Against Child Exploitation (PACE). The aim was to encourage members of the public to report any suspicious activity to Crimestoppers or the police. It was also an opportunity to reach out to victims to assure them that they would not be ignored and those responsible would not get away with the crime.
West Country Crimestoppers was approached by Bristol Police to help address street conflict issues involving young people. The force had found children as young as nine years old were being groomed to carry out serious offences – including drug trafficking. Many of the parents and carers were aware of the crime but they would not go to the police with information. The challenge was to reach out to the children as well as parents; and the result was a drama programme, called ‘What would you do?’, that involved them both. Three schools from Bristol were the first to sign up – each were assigned with two independent drama teachers, from company Unique Voice, and the pupils were asked to create a performance which explored topics including street conflict issues like drugs. At the end of the lessons, the pupils presented their ideas to parents, friends and family at the local Lantern Theatre. All three
November
December
January ‘15
entries were judged by a panel and a prize was awarded to the best. Each pupil went home with a medal and the parents received a programme, which detailed all the pupils’ names and explained how to give information about crime to Crimestoppers anonymously. It proved so popular that West Country Crimestoppers is now looking to expand the project to eight more schools from two different areas of Bristol. Gemma Darby, Year 5 teacher from one of the participating schools, St Weburgh’s Primary, said: “The children have learnt what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. Most importantly, they have developed an understanding of what to do if they see people behaving in inappropriate and unacceptable ways. The sessions have also helped the children develop their confidence in acting and sharing ideas in front of their peers.”
March Time line
Child Sexual Exploitation awareness campaign in Humberside.
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Exploring street crime issues in Bristol.
13,000 young people in Derbyshire learn to be Fearless through drama workshops; PCC funding continues this programme.
University of Northampton: ‘Safer U’ crime awareness and prevention initiative for students.
IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 17
Analysis
Analysis This area of our work could be dismissed as being a technical endeavour or just about numbers and graphs. And while they are important, the purpose of improving our analysis is best put simply: • Doing more with what we’ve got • Knowing what we’re doing makes a difference
We recognise the importance of learning and applying this in our future work. Using this approach we can make sure we use our resources most effectively. The Way Forward We are now in the second phase of a project which considers what functions would benefit the bureau processes, look at alternative data collection and analysis systems and put together a proposal showing what (if anything) can be improved by moving to another system. There are very few organisations that offer what we need; inevitably these are also suppliers to law enforcement, which may provide a means of improving feedback on disseminated reports. In addition to this, we will explore the analytical capabilities of the databases.
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Using intelligence in new ways We carefully take information from our callers and pass this, anonymously, to the police. We realise that looking at this information collectively and in different ways we can learn more about crimes, and provide other insights to help investigations. A number of our corporate partners have strong relationships with police, and work closely with them on investigations. We help them understand the crime environment they are working in by sharing an analysis of the data we hold. Our corporate partners are good citizens in this regard, bringing their resources to help solve and prevent crimes.
Impact beyond the arrest and charge We know we make a difference. Our police partners tell us every day how information received anonymously via Crimestoppers helps them arrest and charge criminals. We are committed to understand better the impact of our service and communicate this to the users of our service and the supporters of our Charity. With the support of New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) we produced a theory of change for Crimestoppers and have used this to identify the additional outcomes we need to measure. We are exploring how we evidence: • Levels of trust in our anonymous service • The impact on local crime levels following our work in a community • Our reach in communities disproportionately affected by crime • Action taken by people to keep themselves safe
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Analysis
New Methods of Analysis Case Study: Cannabis Cultivation
KEY Red Pins - One piece of information Heat map - The brighter the colour, the more concentrated amounts of information
Participating Forces Drugs Manufacture Information one month prior campaign launch
In June 2014 we used a mapping tool, courtesy of partner ESRI, for the first time in our analysis to show the outcome of our commercial cannabis campaign. The map illustrated the difference in the volume of intelligence one month prior to the campaign and a month after.
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Participating Forces Drugs Manufacture Information one month post campaign launch
Mapping proved an incredibly useful tool that pinpointed where intelligence was coming from and highlighted areas where there was a concentrated amount of information. Results showed new areas where members of the public had reported the crime and revealed
new ‘hot spots’ which had seen a particularly high concentration of intelligence. The campaign, supported by the Home Office and 17 police forces, was the second of its kind by Crimestoppers – it followed on from activity in 2013 which saw ‘scratch and sniff’ cards delivered to households across the UK. In the first 24 hours of the launch, Crimestoppers’ actionable intelligence reports relating to cannabis cultivation increased by 46% in comparison to the week before and overall call volumes also saw an 11% spike. In total, Crimestoppers recorded a 20% increase in information about commercial cannabis cultivation. Police forces who participated and distributed scratch-and-sniff cards to their local communities also saw a 33% increase in information reports. One particular success as a direct result of the campaign saw the uncovering of a large cannabis farm in Hampshire – where over 500 plants were seized with an estimated street value of over £700,000.
In 24hrs this activity led to a
46% increase in actionable intelligence
IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 19
People
Our Staff and Volunteers Crimestoppers has over 100 staff as well as 650 volunteers across 43 volunteer committees. We value the contribution made by everyone that we work with, which is why we have ‘Crimestopper of the Month’ where we celebrate individual achievements that contribute to our success.
Meet some of our volunteers: Mark Iveson Vice Chairman for the West Yorkshire Committee Nominated for stepping in and deputising at important meetings with the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire. This enabled the committee to gain traction and build good relations within a very short space of time. He also supported the Chairperson and Regional Manager in building a strong and effective board.
20 | IMPACT REPORT 2014-15
Romail Gulzar Chairman for the Leicestershire and Rutland Committee Romail has worked with Crimestoppers for a number of years and has now become Chair of this committee. Romail owns an Asian news agency and has well established contacts within the Leicestershire business
Monica Sharp Domestic Abuse Lead for the West Mercia Committee Monica played a pivotal role in a domestic abuse campaign for the West Mercia Committee. Monica showed exemplary initiative in finding new NHS partners for the
community. He has given Crimestoppers free space for articles and adverts within his own magazine, and has also negotiated with contacts to secure free space at Leicester festivals and deliver the annual Leicester’s Got Talent show for half the normal cost. In addition, Romail is working nationally with Crimestoppers to help us engage with Asian communities in other parts of the UK.
campaign. She was also instrumental in researching which posters and leaflets would be most useful for GP surgeries and hospitals, and even helped deliver some of them in her own time. She facilitated a domestic abuse survivor’s blog which featured on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as on our website.
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People
We truly value the contribution made by everyone we work with here at Crimestoppers
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Volunteers lead our local engagement In March 2015, Crimestoppers reinvigorated its volunteering efforts in London with the creation of the London Working Group, chaired by Baroness Ruth Henig who has extensive experience in security and policing. The group has been looking at how best they can work with the Metropolitan and City of London Police forces and reinforce their priorities. Initial campaign activity will focus on safeguarding issues, including domestic abuse, in the boroughs of Brent and Hillington. The group has also been busy taking part in fundraising activity and building up contacts in the boroughs. Baroness Henig, said: “London is a vibrant city, which is constantly growing and Crimestoppers certainly has a role to play here. I was interested in being part of that. We can establish a path here in London and I’m pleased to be involved.”
Baroness Ruth Henig CBE.
IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 21
Thank You
Thank You None of our work would be possible without the generosity of all our supporters. The ways they give to us are many and varied. Some have personally been affected by crime and some just want to make a positive contribution to their local community. We all share a common goal: the drive to achieve safer places to live and work, and for there to be fewer victims of crime. Association of British Bookmakers
JTI
Partnerships
Association of Convenience Stores
Ladbrokes
As well as generating welcome
Association of Town Centre Management
Link ATM
financial support, our partnerships
Bank of England
Lloyds Banking Group
with corporate companies help to
Bestway
Morrisons Supermarkets Ltd
tackle crime affecting them. With
British Airways PLC
Northern Powergrid
British Horseracing Authority
Northern Rail
Caesars Entertainment UK
Openreach (BT)
for themselves to prevent and
Environment Agency
Post Office Limited
disrupt criminal activity and ensure
E.On
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd
a safer environment for staff and
ESRI UK
Security Industry Authority
customers.
Federation Against Copyright Theft
SmartWater Technology Ltd
We would like to thank the following
Film Distributors’ Association
Thames Water
companies and associations for
Gambling Commission
Trading Standards SE
G4S Cash Solutions (UK) Ltd
UK Anti-Doping
G4S Secure Solutions (UK&I) Ltd
William Hill
fraud and theft featuring particularly high on the agenda, businesses recognise that they must do more
their support.
22 | IMPACT REPORT 2014-15
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Thank You
Trusts and Foundations
Trustees
We are grateful to our Trusts and Foundations for the valuable contribution they make towards our work. We wish, in particular, to thank the Bestway Foundation and the Peacock Charitable Trust.
The guidance and expertise of our trustees is particularly valued.
Chairman of Trustees Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC
Policing Community
Trustees
The policing community is a vital stakeholder for the Charity, working together in response to the concerns of local people. Thank you to all who support our work, in particular those who fund projects targeting specific crime types in communities across the UK.
Lord Waheed Alli
• Police and Crime Commissioners
Ms Angela Entwistle
• The Home Office
Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE MA
• National Law Enforcement Agencies • Individual Police Officers and staff who support Crimestoppers on a daily basis
Mr Zameer Choudrey Mr Peter Clarke CVO OBE QPM
Mr Richard Gamble FCA Ms Ceris Gardner Mr Bill Griffiths CBE BEM QPM
The Way Forward
Dr David Hammond FCA The Lord Imbert CVO QPM Mr Michael Laurie CBE
We want to make more of the relationships we have with our supporters in order to better recognise the contributions of individuals and organisations, great and small. Working together we will better engage, develop and retain them. To this end, we are running a number of surveys in order to capture valuable ideas and feedback from a range of people who share our goals.
Mr Kevin McDonald OBE Ms Amanda Platell Mr Vivian Robinson QC Mr Nick Ross Mr Stephen Rubin OBE Mr Malcolm Scott Mr Robert Scott CBE Sir Paul Stephenson QPM
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IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 23
Finance
Financial Highlights We have continued to strengthen the Charity’s core financial foundations. As well as benefiting from the loyalty of the vast majority of our clients, we have added a number of lucrative new customers who seek our unique offering. All this against a backdrop of controlling costs well within budget.
After taking account of one-off items in 2014, underlying income once again grew as we continued to build our public and private partnerships. Organisations understand the value for money and the tangible benefits of working with Crimestoppers.
Another successful year with net incoming resources increasing by 29% to £152,847
At the year end total funds available to Crimestoppers for future charitable activities increased by 1% to £1,553,896
After allowing for one-off items in the prior year, total incoming resources rose marginally to £4,946,661
After allowing for one-off items in the prior year, total resources expended decreased by just under 1% to £4,793,814
Bob Booker, Director of Finance.
24 | IMPACT REPORT 2014-15
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Finance
Summary Consolidated Statement Of Financial Activities
Summary Consolidated Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31 March 2015
As at ended 31 March 2015 2015
2014
2015
2014
£’000
£’000
£’000
£’000
190
239
Incoming resources
Fixed assets
Incoming resources from charitable activities
2,369
2,475
Current assets
Voluntary income
2,048
2,405
Creditors falling due within one year
521
528
9
8
Activities for generating funds Investment income Total incoming resources
4,947
5,416
How our resources were used Charitable activities
3,954
4,382
Costs of generating voluntary income
332
374
Fundraising trading: costs of goods sold & other costs
454
490
54
52
4,794
5,298
153
118
(137)
(53)
16
65
Governance costs Total resources expended Net movement in funds before pension scheme losses Actuarial losses on pension scheme Net movement in funds
3,006
3,041
(1,537)
(1,742)
Pension scheme deficit
(105)
-
Total net assets
1,554
1,538
Restricted by donors
646
526
Unrestricted
908
1,012
Total funds
1,554
1,538
How our funds are held
Summarised financial statements The summarised financial statements are not the statutory accounts but a summary of information relating to the consolidated statement of financial activities and the consolidated balance sheet derived from the full audited trustees’ report and financial statements of the Charity, which were approved by the board of trustees on 17 August 2015. The auditors’ statement as prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 was unqualified. Copies of the full annual financial statements will subsequently be filed with the Charity Commission, the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator and Companies House. These summarised financial statements
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may not contain sufficient information to gain a complete understanding of the financial affairs of the Charity. The full audited trustees’ report and financial statements are available on the Charity’s website crimestoppers-uk.org or may be obtained on application to the Charity’s central office. David B Hammond FCA
Trustee 17 August 2015
IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 25
Statement
Auditor’s Statement
We have examined the summarised consolidated financial statements of Crimestoppers Trust for the year ended 31 March 2015 which comprise the extracts from the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet set out on page 25. This statement is made solely to the trustees, as a body in order to meet the requirements of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice revised 2005. Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the trustees those matters we have agreed to state to them in this statement and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity’s trustees as a body, for our work, for this statement, or for the opinions we have formed.
26 | IMPACT REPORT 2014-15
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Statement
Respective responsibilities of trustees and auditor The trustees are responsible for preparing the summarised financial statements in accordance with the requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder and recommendations of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice. Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summarised financial statements on page 25 within the Annual Review with the full financial statements and trustees’ report and its compliance with the relevant requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act and the regulations made thereunder. We also read the other information contained in the Annual Review and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the summarised financial statements.
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Opinion
Basis of opinion We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2008/3 ‘The auditors’ statement on the summary financial statement’ issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. Our report on the full annual financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2015 describes the basis of our opinion on those financial statements.
In our opinion the summarised financial statements set out on page 25 are consistent with the full financial statements and the Trustees’ Annual Report of Crimestoppers Trust for the year ended 31 March 2015 and complies with the relevant requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder. We have not considered the effects of any events between the date on which we signed our report on the full annual financial statements (11 September 2015) and the date of this statement.
Mazars LLP Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors Times House, Throwley Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4JQ 11 September 2015
IMPACT REPORT 2014-15 | 27
Almost
134,000
In 1988, Crimestoppers received just under 5,000 calls with useful information – last year over
arrests and charges have been made since 1988
One person every
8 days is charged with murder as a result of information given to Crimestoppers
98,000
Almost
40
pieces of such information were received
positive actions are made by law enforcement every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers leading to around 14 arrests
OUR IMPACT
More than
£325m of drugs have been seized since 1988
More than
£131m of stolen goods has been recovered since 1988
The ‘Most Wanted’ section of the website, established in 2005, has resulted in over
3,400 criminals being arrested
28 | IMPACT REPORT 2014-15
Over
1.6m actionable pieces of information have been received since 1988
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