The men and women featured in the gallery are wanted for a variety of alleged crimes, including serious assault, drugs supply, serious injury driving offences and community order breaches, and all have warrants for their re-arrest, which do not expire. As part of the launch, Crimestoppers will be visiting towns and cities across Hampshire with digital advertising vans, displaying the names and photos of these most wanted individuals for communities to see.
Chief Constable Scott Chilton is appealing to members of the public to anonymously report any information they may have on the whereabouts of those featured, so his officers can bring them back before the criminal justice system. His officers, alongside Crimestoppers staff will be engaging with the public and appealing for their help in providing vital information on their whereabouts, and how they can hand themselves in, as well as general crime prevention and community safety advice.
Scott Chilton, Chief Constable for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: “Everyone deserves a safe place to live, and our communities expect criminals to be dealt with robustly.
“Those in this Most Wanted campaign have already been charged by police for a variety of offences including assault, burglary, drugs and serious driving offences. We believe they are in our local area, and that someone will know where they are or have the information we need to ensure they are re-arrested.
“We will be using all our powers and tactics to pursue them and the information and intelligence we get from this campaign is part of that.
“Our message is simple; if you see your face on here, hand yourself in. We will not give up and if you are on this list it means we’re not far behind you.”
Crimestoppers launched the UK's Most Wanted in 2005 and it has been highly successful, with over 5,000 arrests to date. People are urged to visit Crimestoppers-uk.org/most-wanted and to scroll down to select the Hampshire & IoW region. Should you recognise any of the suspects and have information on their potential whereabouts, please contact Crimestoppers charity 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.Crimestoppers guarantees that everyone who contacts the charity stays 100 per cent anonymous. Since the charity was formed in the late 1980s it has always kept its promise to protect the identity of all who use the service.
Beth Simpson, the charity’s regional manager in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight said: “Crimestoppers gives people the power to speak up and stop crime 100 per cent anonymously.
“The people of Hampshire have been incredibly supportive of our previous campaigns, helping to keep communities safer by speaking up. I encourage everyone to check our website and let us know immediately if you have any information on any of the individuals. You are the one that can make all the difference – and you can speak up anonymously, without fear of reprisal or anyone knowing that you spoke out.
“You can call us on freephone 0800 555 111 or search for Crimestoppers-uk.org/most-wanted. As a charity, we ensure you won’t have to give your personal details, just tell us what you know and we’ll pass it on for you.”
The ad vans will be travelling across Hampshire over the next few days and it will be heading to the following locations:
Monday, April 15: 8:30am – 4:30pm – Portsmouth Guildhall Square
Tuesday, April 16: 8:30am -12:30pm – Gosport Ferry Gardens, Gosport
Wednesday, April 17: 8:30am – 12:30pm - Havant Town Centre,
1pm – 4:30pm – Fareham Town Centre Opposite Coffee Number 1,
1pm – 4:30pm – Waterlooville Town Centre
1. Most Wanted Vans
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, in partnership with the charity Crimestoppers, has launched a Most Wanted gallery of faces showing those who have been charged with an offence/s and have failed to appear at court. Photo: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary