ISSUE 19 SPRING 2017
HIDDEN HARMS EXPOSED
Shining a light on the crimes happening behind closed doors!
www.twitter.com /crimestoppersUK
www.facebook.com /crimestoppers
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
Operation Captura Brand Matters Energy Theft Welcoming new faces Fame by Fearless and more
www.youtube.com /crimestoppersUK
SPRING 2017 | 1
CONNECT
Welcome to the Spring 2017 edition of Connect, highlighting some of our recent achievements as we help to make communities and the workplace safer through our unique guarantee of anonymity. Tackling hidden harms is now a national priority for us. Too often these crimes – from domestic violence to FGM - have not received the attention they warrant. By shining a light on crimes that often take place behind closed doors, we are in a unique position to complement the work of police, other charities and local partners. With our campaigning work and anonymous reporting service, Crimestoppers can help to reduce the hidden harms that have such a devastating effect on victims. To support the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we published a series of powerful blogs including two from former Sky Sports News presenter and current Women’s Aid Ambassador Charlie Webster, with a highly personal account of surviving harrowing abuse. In the month after this activity, which included national outdoor advertising, we saw a rise of nearly 90% in the number of people contacting us to report domestic violence. This edition includes news of our new, dedicated energy theft hotline for nearly a hundred UK energy companies under the brand name StayEnergySafe. Find out how this, as part of our biggest-ever partnership, has already sparked a surge of valuable crime information. We have news about our youth service Fearless, building on the launch of their new website with a highly successful national online talent competition. I am also delighted that we report on progress being made with our brand refresh that will help shape how we communicate to our beneficiaries. Finally, discover some of the great work of our regional and national managers, along with our volunteers, who liaise closely with the community, Police and Crime Commissioners, Chief Constables, local councils and corporate partners, producing tailored and relevant campaigns designed to have maximum impact. Mark Hallas OBE, CEO Crimestoppers.
Energy theft hotline launch
6
Fame by Fearless contest
10
Published by: Crimestoppers Trust PO Box 324 Wallington SM6 6BG Editor - Marcus Churchill
Welcoming new faces
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14
Spotting the signs of CSE
18
Designer - Mike Fraser www.iconcur.co Crimestoppers is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
internationalnews
CEO Mark Hallas speaking at the launch
A selection of the UK’s Most Wanted fugitives
Digital ad van driving through tourist areas of the Costa del Sol
Sky News’ Martin Brunt reporting from Malaga
Fugitives foiled within hours of tenth Operation Captura launch Crimestoppers’ flagship fugitive
with the National Crime Agency
campaign, Operation Captura,
(NCA) - gained widespread
marked its 10th anniversary in
media attention with Sky News’
October as we unveiled ten new
Martin Brunt reporting from Malaga.
‘Most Wanted’ British fugitives
Operations Director Roger Critchell
believed to be on the run in Spain.
appeared on the Victoria Derbyshire
With the first campaign launched
Show on BBC Two and BBC News,
in Malaga back in 2006, the tenth
as well as on BBC Radio 5 Live. Our
appeal returned to the Spanish
regional managers also stepped
Costas to tap into local knowledge
up to the mark to field interviews
of ex-pats and holidaymakers by
for local media in relevant areas.
broadcasting fugitive mugshots on
Crimestoppers Chief Executive
a large digital advertising van driven
Mark Hallas was joined by
through busy tourist areas of the
representatives from the NCA,
Costa del Sol.
Spanish police and the UK
The fugitives on the new list
Ambassador for Spain, Simon
are wanted by law enforcement
Manley, who spoke at the launch
agencies in connection with crimes
urging the public to play their part
including murder, child sexual
in helping catch the wanted
exploitation, drug trafficking,
fugitives – whilst remaining
fraud, money laundering, and
anonymous thanks to the
serious assault.
Crimestoppers’ guarantee.
The campaign – in association
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
Within 24 hours the message
had been received loud and clear. A former employer of paedophile Matthew Sammon had contacted Crimestoppers with information on his former employee’s whereabouts. He waived his anonymity by speaking on Sky News and revealed that it was he who contacted the charity with information. In February, Sammon was handed a 30-month jail sentence for his crimes. In addition to Sammon, Mohammed Jahangir Alam, convicted of rape, and Stephen Carruthers, accused of producing indecent photographs of a child contrary to the Protection of Children Act 1978, have also been arrested since the October launch. This brings the number of fugitives caught as part of the immensely successful Operation Captura to a total of 79.
SPRING 2017 | 3
The brand refresh should help us engage better with the people who need our services the most. Tania Carrigan, Head of Communications
BRAND MATTERS The charity sector is facing up to the reality that these are tough times, both in terms of finances and maximising support. It is no longer good enough to rely solely on those who instinctively appreciate our work – we have to go further. How our brand appears is crucial to ensuring we make the most impact. We need to mirror the digital age and be able to work across all platforms so that our image looks great whether it’s on a newspaper website, a poster, in a magazine or on a smartphone. Crimestoppers is instantly recognised by most people in the UK. However, they often aren’t aware that we are an independent charity or they confuse us with the police. Our current brand has something of a ‘one size fits all’ approach. It does not always reflect what our audiences need for us to connect with them in a more meaningful way. With this in mind we are
4 | SPRING 2017
delighted to announce that Crimestoppers has been successful in securing funding to refresh our brand from Lord Ashcroft’s Cayo Foundation. This opportunity is immensely exciting. The need for a brand refresh was clear when we developed our five-year strategy. It’s the first comprehensive rebranding exercise in a decade and will review everything from our logo, our marketing to our messaging, both online and offline. We are also looking to redesign our website and intranet. The process is in its initial stages and importantly includes
input from a Steering Group. Staff and volunteers from across the charity and country are providing valuable input that reflects a diverse range of views. After a competitive process we have recruited The Team, who are experts in rebranding, to help shape our new look for the future. Tania Carrigan, Head of Communications and Marketing, said: “The best brands engage people on an emotional level, which is something we hope to reflect in our new image. There is a strong appetite across the charity for this much-needed project to succeed
We need to mirror the digital age and be able to work across all platforms so that our image looks great.
and I’m thrilled at the potential opportunities this could present for us. But most importantly, the brand refresh should help us engage better with the people who need our services the most.” For info, contact: brand.refresh @crimestoppers-uk.org
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
feature
Meet our agency Crimestoppers is in the process of developing a new brand identity thanks to generous funding from the Cayo Foundation. Dan Dufour, Brand Strategy Director at award-winning agency The Team, explains...
Who are The Team?
Why is it important?
We’ve been in the business of creating brands that deliver a social impact for more than 30 years, from Comic Relief to Fire Kills and M&S Plan A. I’ve specialised in charity branding for 15 years, including Shelter, Parkinson’s UK and RSPB.
We know that Crimestoppers has high awareness among the public, with an 86% prompted brand recall. But we also know that people are confused about who you are. Many people think you are part of the police or BBC Crimewatch, not an independent charity. “Branding” is all about making sure people understand Crimestoppers better, with a consistent story and identity. This will ultimately mean you can help more people and gain more support. Lots more charities have invested in developing their brands over the last ten years to improve understanding and income.
What is a brand?
How do you do it?
Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, once said “brand is the space you occupy in someone else’s mind”. In other words, it’s your profile and reputation. It starts with a clear explanation of why you exist, brought to life with key messages and images. Your brand should run through the whole charity, from your communications to your culture. Every single interaction we have with a brand impacts upon our perception of it, so it’s everyone’s responsibility to help build a strong reputation.
We go through a four stage process, together with a Brand Steering Group made up of representatives from across Crimestoppers.
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
• ‘Discover’ is all about understanding you and your target audiences • ‘Define’ is about creating options and testing them • At the ‘Design’ stage we create a visual identity made up of a logo, colour palette, typography, photography and/or illustrations and graphic devices
What’s the biggest challenge? Charities are compassionate by their very nature, but the Crimestoppers brand doesn’t currently come across as particularly caring. It feels serious. The challenge over the coming months is to find a way to give the brand a more emotive, human quality.
• Then we ‘Deliver’ the brand with guidelines, training and templates
SPRING 2017 | 5
Information surge follows energy theft hotline launch Theft of gas and electricity in the UK is a serious problem.
E
ach year
or bypassed meters can
investigators probe
spark fires or lead to
around 150,000 allegations and 1,500
explosions. problem, Crimestoppers
the police. Whilst that
has partnered with the
figure might seem high
96 companies that make
to many, the scale of the
up the energy industry
problem is thought to
to launch
be masked by under-
stayenergysafe.co.uk -
reporting.
an anonymous service allowing landlords,
robs the industry of an
tenants, business and
estimated £500m, it’s a
the public to report
serious danger to life and
suspicions or evidence
property, as tampered
via a dedicated hotline
6 | SPRING 2017
How does it work?
Responding to this
people are charged by
Energy theft not only
number and secure website.
It’s not easy to spot when energy theft is taking place, which is why our new tip-off service is tackling the problem. Rodger Holden, Director of Business Development
Once received, tip-offs are sent to the relevant supplier or network operator. This information helps track down and stop the meter cheaters who put lives at risk, often in a misguided attempt to save money. The dangers and consequences of this criminal activity are too enormous to ignore.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
nationalnews
Energy theft robs the industry of an estimated £500 million. Still from a video produced by BHP
Exploding the ‘victimless crime’ myth
Powered by Crimestoppers
Electricity meter tampering can cause electrical fires and electrocutions. Just the flick of a light switch is enough to cause an electrical fuse to blow, leading to a potential blaze. The same applies to meddling with gas meters. Gas explosions can happen when as little as 5-15% of gas is mixed into the surrounding air in a room. If a gas meter is tampered with it can produce gas leaks inside a property, which risks sparking fires or catastrophic explosions. Part of our campaign is to challenge perceptions. Educating the public about energy theft is key – stressing to those who might be tempted that the only thing being tempted is fate. But people
often feel quite ambivalent about the issue. This campaign ultimately aims to inform everyone that energy theft is a crime. It is a danger to those in the property as well as in the immediate vicinity, and therefore can impact on any of us. Families, neighbours and, in the case of commercial properties, employees and members of the public, are all at risk of serious harm as a result of attempting to steal gas or electricity. That’s why those who perpetrate this crime face up to five years in jail. From families unaware of the consequences to landlords renting potential death traps and greedy business-owners, we have heard stories across the country every day. They are stealing from us all.
Pulling the plug In the first five months we have received over 600 unique reports from the public relating to energy theft. This is an impressive response and we are keen to build on this success. Director of Business Development Rodger Holden said: “It’s not always easy to spot when energy theft is taking place. The most likely people to come forward are those who are close to the person committing the theft, which is why our new tip-off service is tackling the problem head on.”
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
Infographic showing the true costs of energy theft
SPRING 2017 | 7
nationalnews
Licensing:
Reaping rewards from our commercial partnerships
To help reduce crime we have commercial partnerships with public sector organisations, major companies and corporations such as the NHS, Post Office, Bank of England, and more recently, the security industry. Trust in the Crimestoppers brand crosses all sections of society. Over the past six months we have established new and exciting licensing partnerships with organisations that share our commitment to public safety and the fight against crime.
The Ring video doorbell allows homeowners to see, hear and speak to anyone at their front door on their smartphone, thereby providing a hi-tech solution to discourage potential burglars. Ring’s US operations have led to a fall in property crime. They are now in the process of conducting trials with UK police and Crimestoppers as a perfect-fit brand partner.
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Selectamark Security Systems Plc has a long history of success in helping the police reduce burglary. They are a leading supplier of forensic property marking solutions, and their SelectaDNA kits enable all types of possessions and assets to be given their own unique DNA code that can be linked to the owner if lost or stolen. The exciting licensing partnership with Crimestoppers will help SelectaDNA develop retail relationships, and provide the public with a completely trusted and cost-effective solution to deter burglary and theft.
Squire is a global pioneer of top-selling security products. With an historic heritage going back to 1780 as an independent family-owned British lock manufacturer, Squire offers one of the most comprehensive padlock ranges, made to world class standards.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
nationalnews
CONVERSION SUCCESS: 75% rise in rugby reports Doping in sport has been increasingly in the media spotlight, and after taking stock of our partnership with UKAD over the last eight years, we were keen to do more in the fight for clean sport
U
KAD (UK Anti-Doping) is a
professional support staff such as
exciting new era in how we tackle
long-standing and valued
coaches and physiotherapists, and
the deception of doping in sport.
partner, having worked with us
finally, personal support through
since their formation in 2009.
partners, parents and friends.
Traditionally, Crimestoppers has
The results were hugely
The campaign achieved an impressive 75% increase in year-on-year reports around doping
played a silent but pivotal role in
encouraging and together we feel
allegations in South Wales, with
the work of UKAD by providing
we are at the beginning of an
the first piece of information
an anonymous phone line and online form for people to report doping in sport across the UK. We recently trialled a new social media campaign to encourage information from the public about those taking performance enhancing drugs. UKAD has built up a wealth of knowledge and intelligence to target locations, sports,
received on the campaign launch
The campaign achieved an impressive 75% increase in year-on-year reports around doping allegations in South Wales.
day concerning human growth hormone use. We hope to extend this pilot and are currently developing a blueprint which could change the way we both encourage and gather intelligence, eventually extending to all sports. Highlighting the need to protect rugby players
demographics and sports clubs. Through consultation, market research and using their insights, we were able to target specific groups, propped up by personalised imagery and relevant messaging.
Target audience The pilot campaign focused on key areas of south Wales with the goal of gaining better quality intelligence about semiprofessional rugby players who were doping. The campaign had three main audiences: athletes,
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
SPRING 2017 | 9
fearless
FREESTYLE
Winner: Daniela Todorova
DISCO GIRL
WINS
FAME BY FEARLESS CONTEST O
ver 60 young people from across the UK vied to take the top prize in our new Fame by Fearless competition. We believed a talent competition, run online, would engage with a wider range of young people from across the country. To celebrate the relaunch of the website, Fame by Fearless also offered competitors the opportunity to show off their talent to a far-reaching audience via YouTube, with the public allowed to make the final vote after judges had narrowed down the number of entrants. Making the top spot was 15-yearold Daniela Todorova from Chorley in Lancashire who impressed the public with her ‘freestyle disco & contemporary’ routine. Her prize was a bundle worth
Runners up - Better than we Look Search for Daniela’s entry on our fearlessorg youtube channel
10 | SPRING 2017
£500 which included a Go Pro camera, Beats Headphones and a tablet. Runners up were boy band Better than we Look who were all aged 14 and from Gloucestershire. From over 60 entries, the finalists came from London, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Lancashire, Gloucester and Staffordshire. Fearless Manager Kristina Gregory said: “This is a significant event for Fearless as we have never done anything like this in the six years the service has been running. The competition brought about some interesting and original content from those taking part.
‘Fame by Fearless’ also offered competitors the opportunity to show off their talent to a far-reaching audience via YouTube. “All too often young people are tarnished with the same brush, but this contest was very much about encouraging and engaging with them positively. By significantly boosting visitor numbers to our website as a result of the competition – up nearly 200% we can work toward our ultimate goal in supporting young people to make informed decisions about reporting crime.”
Slashing knife crime in Wandsworth Young people carrying weapons especially knives - continues to be a significant and persistent problem in our inner cities. Despite the fact that weapons crime has been curbed in recent years in Wandsworth, the London borough still had over 300 knife incidents in one year. The impact on families and residents is significant. With a third of those involved aged 15-19, Fearless successfully secured funding to work with the Council and local police to run a Weapons Awareness campaign. At a launch event at Harris Academy Battersea, young people were challenged to face their fears on the Fearless Climbing Wall. This was followed by a series of training events which have led to over 70 youth professionals across the borough being trained to spread the word about our youth service, encouraging those affected to pass on information safely and anonymously using our website.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
nationalnews
ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN C
rimestoppers supported November’s UN-led International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violent crimes perpetrated against women have reached record highs. Greater confidence from those reporting, combined with the ease at which social media can be used to control and threaten victims, are factors behind the rise. However, the overall figures are grim. Two women a week in England and Wales are killed by a violent partner or ex-partner and 45% of women have experienced some form of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Tackling these ‘hidden harms’ is a national priority for the Home Office, the police and Crimestoppers. Our support continued across the ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence’ through our partnership with national charity Women’s Aid and Thames Valley-based organisation ‘Jeena’, who hosted a special event in Slough, which also highlighted the benefits of our anonymous service. We published a series of blogs from a diverse range of writers including former Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster, who authored an honest piece about
her experience as a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse. A blog by Polly Neate, CEO of Women’s Aid, discussed important progress being made by the police and the courts in challenging attitudes to coercive and controlling behaviour. We also featured a short video called ‘Nicki’s Story’ about a neighbour who, having heard repeated incidents of domestic violence next door, eventually musters the courage to contact Crimestoppers about her concerns, leading to a positive outcome. The month after this activity, the number of people contacting us to report domestic violence
CEO of Women’s Aid Polly Neate
rose by nearly 90%. Rani Bilkhu, founder of Jeena, said: “We work on the frontline helping those affected by this issue, and are pleased that Crimestoppers recognises the severity of this problem and is working hard to raise awareness.
45% of women have experienced some form of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. “Their role is especially important given the reluctance among vulnerable immigrants to speak directly to officials such as the police. Violence and abuse perpetrated against women ruins and damages lives, sometimes ultimately leading to the death of those involved. It’s important to get the message out there that people who have concerns that abuse might be taking place know there is a way to report their fears safely and anonymously.”
IN THE UK: 45% of women have experienced some form of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. At least 80,000 women suffer rape every year. Women being killed by a violent partner
or ex-partner constitute nearly 40% of all female homicide victims. 70% of domestic violence incidents result in injury, (compared with 50% of incidents of acquaintance violence, 48% of
stranger violence and 29% of mugging). At least 1 in 5 women in Scotland will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Stats source: www.whiteribbonscotland.org.uk /node/91
Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
SPRING 2017 | 11
events & fundraising
A supreme courtly
THANK YOU T
he Supreme Court building on London’s Parliament Square served as an impressive backdrop to our Rewarding Partnerships reception in November. The annual event was attended by around one hundred guests – giving Crimestoppers an opportunity to thank some of our key corporate stakeholders for their valued support over the course of the year. It was also an opportunity to push ahead with generating new business and discussing future plans. Crimestoppers Founder and Chairman, Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, spoke of the genuine and strong connection between activity that promotes security and wider Corporate Social Responsibility:
“Many of the campaigns we deliver for our partners are there to protect the most vulnerable in our community: the elderly, the poor, the disadvantaged. Our campaigns carefully target those who would prey on such individuals as well as, where possible, providing the information to help people to be able to protect themselves.” Ben Fletcher, Director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau, spoke of the immense benefit to the insurance industry after they transferred their Cheatline to a tailored service run by Crimestoppers: “It not only made commercial sense, but more importantly many stakeholders, including myself, saw Crimestoppers
Ben Fletcher with Mark Hallas as being the pinnacle of managing confidential information in a professional and efficient way. “We currently have somewhere in excess of 130 live investigations, all across the UK. Information from Crimestoppers contributes to a substantial number of those and directly led to four of them starting in the first place. “In simple terms, the collaboration with Crimestoppers helps us find more fraud, which equally means that these organised crime groups are being stopped from not only causing a nuisance and cost to society but our roads are also being made safer.”
Last call for runners for 2017! E
ach year London hosts the world’s biggest mass participation sporting event in the world. We’ll be present again at the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 23rd April. Our amazing team of runners are training hard and putting a huge amount of effort in to raising funds for Crimestoppers.
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If you were lucky enough to get a place in the public ballot we’d love for you to join our team or if you’re interested in a Crimestoppers place for 2018’s London Marathon, please contact events@crimestoppers-uk.org for more information.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
Meet the volunteer
CAROLYN COLLARD Carolyn’s day job is Head of Governance & Compliance at the prestigious Glyndebourne Opera in Sussex. A volunteer for Crimestoppers for many years, she is now a valued member of our Advisory Board.
publicity in Sussex. After that I joined the National Advisory Board. I helped investigate the feasibility of a national appeal; currently I’m on the team helping refresh the Crimestoppers brand.
How does Crimestoppers compare to your day job at Glyndebourne Opera in Sussex? Utterly different, that’s why I enjoy it.
Why did you choose to volunteer for Crimestoppers? When my son went to university I thought I’d have a lot of free time on my hands and I wanted to do something with it. I saw the advert for Crimestoppers and decided to find out more, liked the people I met and agreed to join the Sussex committee.
Has crime affected you personally and if so how? Minor things; I’ve been burgled, had my car broken into, been on the receiving end of cyber fraud, but what disturbed me was my concern for my son when he was growing up and being approached by drug dealers. It turned out he was much more streetwise than I realised so I was worrying unnecessarily – but it could have all been very different.
What has Crimestoppers done for you? Crimestoppers gives me an opportunity to help others in my community. It has also taught me how committees work, given me a new challenge, a whole new area to learn about.
What would you say to someone who was thinking of volunteering for Crimestoppers? Give it a go – there are so many different ways to volunteer, either as a committee member, to work on a particular project or as an ambassador. It’s an opportunity to directly help your local community.
What projects have you worked on? I was the Chair of the very active Sussex Crimestoppers committee for three years; during that time we were lucky enough to persuade the novelist Peter James to join us as a second patron alongside Dame Vera Lynn. As a result we were able to develop several new ways of increasing
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
How’s your singing? Have they ever asked you to step up on stage? No-one who has ever heard my voice would ask me to sing!
Is Crimestoppers a dose of reality compared to the refined escapist world of opera? It’s far from refined back of house! It’s a business like any other. In this respect Crimestoppers and Glyndebourne are identical; charities have to be business-like to succeed. The reality of daily life for people in the communities Crimestoppers exists to help is where the difference is; the typical Crimestoppers audience is pretty far removed from that at Glyndebourne.
What’s the most important lesson in life? Be yourself, be tolerant, have integrity, listen to your inner voice.
If you ran the world, what would you change? It would be good to think that there is a way of solving disputes without war.
What might surprise people about you? Some people who meet me seem to think I’m scary – I’m not at all really!
What makes you happy? Blue skies and nature.
What makes you sad? Arguments, big and small.
What are your guiltiest pleasures? Good malt whisky and dark chocolate.
SPRING 2017 | 13
nationalnews
Introducing new Crimestoppers staff
GREG REES
ANNABELLE GOODENOUGH
LIAM DUFFY
LYDIA PATSALIDES
Volunteer Manager
South East
Eastern
East Midlands
After starting his career in the private sector, Greg has, for over 20 years, been involved in the voluntary sector working in supported social housing and for substance abuse agencies in South Wales, Bristol and the West Country. He’s passionate about the value that volunteers and volunteering brings to any organisation, convinced that a first class volunteering experience invariably points emphatically to a first class organisation. His relaxation includes riding his motorbike around the twisty roads and beautiful mountains of Wales.
Annabelle joins Crimestoppers after having worked in the charity and not-for-profit sector since completing her BA Hons Dance degree. With a strong background in events management and communications, Annabelle hopes to continue to build creative and inspiring campaigns across her regions. In her spare time Annabelle can usually be found at her stables in her wellies, with her horse, Harry, and golden retriever Lucie!
Liam joins Crimestoppers after a brief spell in the southern United States and Central America, having previously worked in the counter-terrorism field. He studied History at university before switching to study Terrorism and Security for his Master’s degree. These are all experiences Liam hopes will stand him in good stead to continue the great work across the Eastern region for Crimestoppers. At the weekends Liam can usually be found getting knocked around on the Rugby League field.
SARAH HOBBS Campaigns Officer
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For the past decade Sarah has worked in the marketing profession within the private sector. In her spare time, she is a football referee and a freelance writer, poet and spoken word artist.
KATE GRADY Development
Lydia has worked in Children and Family Services for 10 years, managing the administration for all of Islington Children’s Social Care in London. More recently, having returned home to Lincoln, she was employed by the NHS before joining us here at Crimestoppers. Away from work, Lydia is a busy mum to a 2-year-old boy and aspires to make it to the gym one day soon!
Kate has spent many years in the commercial world driving change and digital management within a number of organisations. Her last few years were spent at the College of Policing where she caught the bug to help make communities safer. Kate has joined Crimestoppers as Senior Account Manager. She works with our commercial clients providing important relationship management and partnership development support.
CONNECT | ISSUE 19
nationalnews
EVIDENCE NOT ASSUMPTION IS KEY IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD O
fficial crime figures are down long-term and the nature of crime is changing. Incidents of some traditional crimes have decreased, whereas many crimes are now committed online, where the nature and scale of fraud is unrecognisable. Most worrying is that police recording of violence, harassment and sexual crimes has increased. Whether this is due to more crimes being committed or better recording isn’t the point for me. These crimes cause devastating long-term harm and are now being given the importance their often vulnerable victims deserve. Domestic abuse, long considered a private matter, is the new volume crime.
The new normal With a backdrop of austerity, this new landscape is causing the police to alter what and how they investigate. Bobbies on the beat might be seen as a victim of cutbacks, but the reality is that in the majority of places we can do away with that kind of policing. Wiltshire’s PCC, Angus Mcpherson,
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
Karen Ogborn, Head of Performanc e
said after his election that we should guard against focusing on the concerns of the worried safe. It would be easy for elected officials to react only to what the loudest voices are calling for, what is popular, and potentially ignore what causes the most damage. With constrained resources this means considering carefully whether what we do actually makes a difference, and not falling foul of the post-truth world where appeals to emotion often override evidence and hard facts.
We must continue looking at the evidence to demonstrate how our service makes a difference in solving and preventing crime. Problem-orientated policing has been a concept since the 1970s, but one that has yet to truly gain traction on a day-to-day basis. There is still a tendency to react, to run with the first ‘good idea’, and
sometimes not learn from the past. As Dr David Halpern, Chief Executive of the Behavioural Insights Team, has observed about a ‘new’ programme in 2014 to steer children away from gangs by putting them in handcuffs and prison vans: it completely ignored the extensive review the previous year which concluded it was likely to have a detrimental effect and in reality could increase delinquency.
What does this mean for Crimestoppers? We must continue looking at the evidence to demonstrate how our service makes a difference in solving and preventing crime, examining not just the outcomes from our work, but also consider how it works, where it works, and what we did that made the difference. Putting the people who need and rely on Crimestoppers at the centre of our work will help us better understand their problems. This way we can better design, test and learn how to tailor our services to help those who count on us in an even more effective way.
SPRING 2017 | 15
regionalnews
Scotland
METAL THEFT SPARKS CASH BAN CAMPAIGN
T
heft of metal from buildings, bridges and railways is estimated to cost the Scottish economy over £1.5million a year. The impact reaches far and wide, whether it’s communities paying the repair bill after lead is stolen from a church roof, power outages from copper theft at substations, or delays on the railways after cables are stolen. In conjunction with the Scottish Government-backed Operation Scandium, Crimestoppers launched Scrap the Cash, a campaign informing the public about new laws banning the use of cash when buying or selling scrap metal.
Launch from scrapyard dealership in Govan, Glasgow, with Police Scotland and British Metal Recycling
Theft of metal from buildings, bridges and railways is estimated to cost the Scottish economy over £1.5 million a year.
In one month alone – June 2016 – there were over 135 incidences of metal theft reported in Scotland. Scrap the Cash is a year-long campaign with over 150 billboard adverts appearing close to scrapyard dealerships, combined with a targeted leaflet and social media campaign.
SCHOOL EXAMINES IMPACT OF REMAINING SILENT Europe’s largest secondary school and Crimestoppers worked together to examine the consequences of not reporting a crime. The innovative ‘What If?’ project at Holyrood Secondary School in Govanhill, Glasgow, was developed with the help of a drama tutor and over a dozen 15 and 16-year-old pupils using a ‘sliding doors’ quiz show format.
The aim is to roll out the show to other local authority areas across Scotland.
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The first performance was staged in front of senior representatives from Police Scotland, Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government and parents. The local community where the majority of residents are from BAME backgrounds – were invited and had the chance to hear about Crimestoppers, meet the school community and enjoy a free show. The following day ‘What If?’ was performed in front of the school’s entire 2,200 pupils and received a fantastic response. The aim is to roll out the show to other local authority areas across Scotland.
Fearless invite for ‘What If?’
Chief Superintendent and Divisional Commander for Greater Glasgow Division Brian McInulty with the stars of ‘What If?’
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regionalnews
Wales
Northern Ireland
GIVING WALES A NEW VOICE TO TACKLE CRIME
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rime-fighting in Wales has been given a significant boost thanks to two new faces. Former Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston has been appointed as Chair of the Wales volunteer committee, and Ella Rabaiotti is the first ever Manager for Wales working with three police forces – Dyfed Powys, South Wales and Gwent. Between them Ian and Ella have 60 years’ experience in the criminal justice sector. Ian’s career includes Head of CID at Gwent Police where he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service in 2003. He had previously been President of the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales, and was elected as Police & Crime Commissioner in 2012, a role he stepped down from last year. Having successfully won the Crimestoppers annual Percy Hoskins Award, in honour of the prominent late crime reporter, the pair are now working on launching Fearless within Wales to empower young people to have a voice in their community and help prevent crime. A school assembly film is planned to promote the Fearless.org website, increase young people’s understanding of crime issues and highlight the choices they have in reporting
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
what they know. Ella said: “Building relationships and local engagement has been vital to getting the message out about our work. I have travelled up and down the country speaking to senior representatives of health, fire and rescue, probation and prisons, as well as getting to local events such as Swansea’s Got Talent, Safer Community action groups and national events such as a White Ribbon Day at the Welsh Assembly campaigning to end domestic abuse.” Ella has also been asked to become an anti-slavery champion by the Welsh Government team: “I am delighted to be able to promote the `Say No to Slavery’ year of action, which aims to make Wales hostile to modern day slavery and provide the best possible support to survivors.”
BELFAST HOSTS GALA QUIZ NIGHT
Crimestoppers CEO Mark Hallas with Minister for Justice Claire Sugden
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elfast’s impressive Harbour Commissioners Building in Corporation Square hosted the 5th Northern Ireland Crimestoppers’ Gala Quiz Night in November. Over 150 people attended, including the Minister for Justice, Claire Sugden. The evening included a raffle and trophy presentation. The fundraising event also serves as a networking opportunity to meet with leading corporate organisations in the country.
Above: Ian Johnston, Chair of the Wales volunteer committee and Ella Rabaiotti, Manager for Wales.
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regionalnews England
CSE PERPETRATORS: SPOTTING TELL-TALE SIGNS
Supt Darren Minton, head of Safeguarding for West Yorkshire Police
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n innovative approach to tackling Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has been launched by Crimestoppers, who hosted a major conference focusing exclusively on the behaviour of the perpetrator rather than the victim. Prevention and detection of CSE is a key priority for all forces and the Home Office. The one-day event, held at the Shay Stadium in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was designed to help professionals such as police, NHS
CANNABIS AND COCAINE CRACKDOWN IN CUMBRIA
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sing the artwork ‘Drug Dealers Don’t Care, Do You?’, residents in and around the town of Penrith were asked to pass on information about those supplying drugs. Cumbria Police were particularly keen to pinpoint an organised crime group who were believed to be
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staff, teachers, housing and children’s services, to learn about offender behaviour and spot the signs to look out for in their daily work to prevent more children and young people becoming victims. Hundreds of delegates from across the country attended and heard expert advice from speakers including respected Criminologist Dr Graham Hill, PCC Mark Burns-Williamson; ACC John Robins and Jane Read from HMP Wakefield, along with representatives from West Yorkshire Police, child protection charity the Lucy Faithful Foundation and Crimestoppers regional manager, Gemma Wilson. Supt Darren Minton, Head of Safeguarding for West Yorkshire Police, praised the conference saying: “Tackling CSE is a top priority for the police. This conference helped boost knowledge of especially `on-street CSE’ by equipping officers and staff with a better understanding of the patterns of behaviour that indicate child exploitation could be happening. This is why I am supporting this innovative project
Excellent conference, brilliant speakers, one of the most productive, informative and motivational training days in a long time… well done. within West Yorkshire.” Our Child Sexual Exploitation Perpetrator Package is now available to all police forces and local councils. It includes tailored marketing materials such as leaflets, posters, calling cards and a short video documentary, along with guidance and access to experts at the forefront of research in this area. The project has now received funding for the next stage, which goes beyond working with professionals to focus on educating the wider public. For more information visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org/oscse
supplying cannabis and cocaine in the area. Gary Murray, Crimestoppers’ North West regional manager, commented: “Penrith has traditionally been a quiet and safe town with low crime levels, so drugs coming into the area are a real worry for the community. We wanted to promote the Crimestoppers service so that local residents know they have a safe place to provide information, without fear of retribution.” The results were rewarding. Information received over the course of the campaign period was up by nearly 30%. It was the best ever month for Crimestoppers in Cumbria, with over ninety calls. This capped off a record 2016 with 835 pieces of information. Positive actions and arrests by Cumbria Police have also shot up by a quarter.
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regionalnews England
FGM IN WEST MERCIA
NEW WILTSHIRE COMMITTEE
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n the UK, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is thought to affect nearly 140,000 girls and women – most having the illegal procedure performed abroad. West Mercia volunteers designed a campaign with the target audience in mind and focused on reaching victims and people who may have information about those conducting FGM. The crime is under-reported, with victims and those in the know often too fearful of family or community reaction to come forward. Posters in English and Arabic have been specifically placed in settings such as hospitals
A launch event was held at the Medieval Hall in Salisbury in January to encourage new volunteers to join. Working at a grassroots level helps us fight crime more effectively at a local level. Emily van der Lely, regional manager, said: “Volunteers bring energy, enthusiasm and a concern for the welfare of their local area. They also bring their own ideas and expertise.” English poster reaching out to victims of FMG
and clinics with the aim of encouraging people to speak out.
DRUGS AND SLAVERY IN STAFFORDSHIRE
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he impact of crime on the county was the focus of a tailored campaign commissioned by the PCC to call on the public to make use of Crimestoppers’ anonymous reporting service. Some communities in the county have been hit hard by criminal activity including around drugs. This is reflected in the figures revealing that more than half (55%, or nearly 1,400) of the reports received by Crimestoppers in Staffordshire over the past year focused on drug-related crime.
www.crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 1 1 1
Raising awareness of modern day slavery was also part of the campaign. Many people will be surprised to hear that this could be happening near them. It followed news that more than 50 people were rescued from modern slavery in Staffordshire – including dozens of victims from Vietnam, who were discovered in the back of trucks. These victims are being abused and forced to work in agriculture, catering, domestic and sex trades. Pauline Hadley, regional manager, said: “Through the use of targeted messaging via mobile phones and Facebook over 10,000 people have visited the Staffordshire Crimestoppers webpage and 15 of those have given us information using the anonymous online form. Together we are making Staffordshire a safer place to live and work.”
WEST COUNTRY CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISER Avon & Somerset Crimestoppers raised nearly £10,000 at their Christmas fundraising party. The event was attended by Chief Executive Mark Hallas, PCC Sue Mountstevens, Chairman Peter Anderson and West Country regional manager Gordon Chisholm.
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Final word from our supporters
“The Enhanced Rewards have a proven record of reaching sections of the community where police driven appeals fail as many of those providing critical information often do not wish to be associated with or trust the police.” “The anonymous service that Crimestoppers provides will allow us to encourage someone to give information to police who ordinarily would not.”
SENIOR INVESTIGATING OFFICER
“This is just to say thank you Crimestoppers. You have restored my faith and made me realise there are people who care. I shall be spreading the word about your services and making a small donation as a token of appreciation.”
“You guys are awesome.”
BARRY THOMPSON ON FACEBOOK
FEEDBACK FROM A CALLER
“Thank you for all your help. As this involves a close friend and their drink driving I feel so much happier knowing that the police are aware of their activity and that I can remain anonymous. Without Crimestoppers I would not have been able to report this and who knows what could have happened.”
“A huge thank you to every member of the CS team as I greatly appreciate every part that they play in being there for those without a voice or who live in fear. “May I also extend the same best wishes to every single person who works within Crimestoppers, and offer a sincere thank you for all the hard work and dedicated service we receive.”
POLICE CO-ORDINATOR
“Thank you for keeping me safe.” ANONYMOUS SUPPORTER
CALLER TO OUR CONTACT CENTRE
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